Dark Heart: Part One
by VraieEsprit
Summary: 3 years on. Ayeka is engaged, Ryoko in prison at GXP HQ and Tenchi is alone on the Earth once more. But not for long...a space pirate has returned from the dead and is set on possessing three powerful Juraian gemstones...at any cost! Part 2 to come soon.
1. Chapter 1

**Brief Introduction and Disclaimer**

Since the synopsis space is so limited, here's a few notes about this story for readers' benefit :D

Firstly - it's mainly working on the Universe timeline but there are OVA themes and elements dragged kicking and screaming into it too. I work on the premise that much of the OVA is possible in Universe, it's just never been brought into the plot...and this story operates on those lines. Therefore the setting is Universe, after the second movie, but there are clearly recognisable OVA themes in there too. No prizes for picking them out. Call it a mish-mash if you like...if you're a purist it might not be for you, but if you're willing to give it a shot anyway, I'm more than grateful :)

Secondly - it's my first attempt at Tenchi fic though I've written copious amounts of drivel for other fandoms. So be nice. There is also a flip-flopping between japanese suffixes and english titles. I hope that it doesn't annoy anyone...I found it started to get silly if I tried to stick to one or the other and my Japanese is nil.

Thirdly - I am a Ryoko fan and of course that means this is a Ryoko-ish story in places. But I have tried my best to retain balance with all characters as well as the series allows me too. So no hating on Ayeka, for example hehe.

Fourthly - I hope the rating is right, I did think about it carefully before I chose where to put it! Also, part two will be along shortly. When I've finished gluing bits and pieces back together and figuring it all out...

Finally - I hope you enjoy my story and thank you to anyone who takes the time to read my work :) I really appreciate it!

**PART ONE:SYNOPSIS**

_It has been three Earth years since Tenchi's kidnap by the ghostly Haruna, and now it's almost as if those days had been a dream. Kiyone and Mihoshi are back with the Galaxy Police, doing their best to help the scattered agency reform and strengthen after the massive blow dealt their way by the escaped convict Kain. Ayeka and Sasami are back on Jurai at their father's behest as he negotiates a beneficial betrothal for his beautiful eldest daughter - a betrothal that has Ayeka torn between her love for Tenchi and her duty to her people. Washu has secluded herself in a pocket dimension to work on her newest experiment away from the Science Academy's prying...whilst Ryoko is languishing in a Galaxy Police cell, forced to sacrifice her freedom to protect the man and the world she has grown to love._

_Tenchi's life has returned to it's humdrum normality. Now twenty one and in college, he's studying hard and working hard, but his mind keeps flitting to his extra-terrestrial houseguests, wondering where they are and what they are all up to._

_Then the Space Pirate Haki is resurrected, taking Ayeka prisoner and demanding an impossible ransom of the Jurai Royal Family. Sasami sets off on a desperate mission to Earth to find Tenchi and ask for his help, whilst Kiyone battles against her morals and makes a decision which could see her struck off the Galaxy Police list for the rest of eternity._

_But more than Ayeka's life is at stake, and Ryoko may be the only one who can track Haki down. Stronger and more dangerous than ever before, the Pirate's focus is on three mysterious gemstones rumoured to focus elements of the Jurai Power. In the wrong hands, they may bring down the balance of the entire universe..._

**  
DARK HEART: A TENCHI MUYO! Fanfiction  
by  
VRAIEESPRIT**

Chapter One

All was as it should be on Delta Level 9. As the guards went about their routine patrols, not a sound was heard from any of the identically carved cells on either side. Inspection was nigh, and a wise prisoner was a quiet prisoner.

The gangway that looped between the two shelves of chambers swung and shuddered slightly under the considerable weight of the guard on duty, and he began to whistle a tune under his breath as he cast idle glances in at each of the prisoners. At the furthest end of the walkway he paused, turning to stare through the translucent forcefield wall at the cell's sole incumbant.

She was young, barely older than her early twenties in appearance, and her shabby prisoner's uniform could not concaeal the shape of her body or the grace of her figure from the man's greedy eyes. Wild, wavy hair framed a cheeky face and an upturned nose, barely hiding from view two distinctive ears that flattened and peaked at their tip, almost as if she had come from elven folk. At first glance she appeared an errant adolescent, but on closer inspection it was clear there was much more to her than that. Bright intelligence sparkled deep in her vivid gold eyes, and her very existance had been more fable than fact for what seemed like forever. It had been a huge coup for the struggling, rebuilding Galaxy Police Force to cry the capture of one of space's most sought after criminals. A sign they were back on the right road, they had claimed. Publicity had been rife.

At that moment the prisoner registered the guard's gaze and she raised her head, her gaze impassive and cold as she took in his trim Galaxy Police uniform and his curious, piggy eyes. There was no defiance in her expression tonight. Indeed, she seemed resigned to her captivity, the guard decided. Resigned and accepting that at last the long chase across space was over. And yet there was still something that made him wary. He took a step back from the strong forcefield that parted him from her, glancing down at his timepiece. He was running late, and he had two more levels to oversee.

Taking a further step back, he hurried along the walkway to the big sliding door that swung back on it's runners with barely more than a hiss. As the doors closed once more behind him, he turned his back on the captive girl, but even as he walked, he could feel her feline, amber eyes burning holes into his back.

Fervently he raised his hand, mapping out the signs to protect him from the demon's curse. There had always been rumours, given fire by her many misdeeds, but in all the days he had seen her up close he had become convinced.

Ryoko was truly a demon - a demon who walked among men.

As the guard headed to his next duty, the cell's occupant got lazily to her feet, walking sedately across the floor of the cage to the forcefield that seperated her from freedom. With a sigh, she rested the palms of both hands against it, ignoring the warning bolts of electricity that prickled against her skin. At first, they had left red burns, but now she barely noticed them tweaking and teasing at her senses.

Her eyes became sad, and she batted her fist against the divide with little real enthusiasm. She knew from long and bitter experience that nothing she could do would break it down. Absently her hand went to her wrist, fingering the tight silver cuffs that blocked her from using the special gifts she had been born with. Now she was no better than any of the rest of them, and without her magic, she knew she would never break out of the Galaxy Police Headquarters on her own.

She turned back towards her bed, sitting down on the slim, barren pallet as she gazed up through the tiny porthole that sufficed as her window. The bars hid the night sky from view, and the angle was such that it hurt her neck, making her wish that she could at least fly a few feet, just to see out into space and freedom once again. He was out there still, she knew that, and he was safe. But she still pined for him, and she still pined for her liberty most of all.

"Ryoko?"

The voice startled her and she turned, taking in the speaker with a cold, unwelcoming glare. Her visitor, a young woman maybe ten physical years her senior stood on the other side of the forcefield, apprehension and anxiety on her face. In one hand she held a bottle, and Ryoko's expression thawed a little as she registered what it was. For a moment there was silence between them, then Ryoko raised a hand, beckoning.

The young woman hesitated, glancing around her to make sure that she was not being observed. Then she carefully keyed in a number on the pad next to the cell door, waiting as a hatch barely big enough to fit her hand through opened in the field. After another check for witnesses, the woman slid her burden through the crack, dropping it with a soft thud down onto the folded prison uniform that lay carelessly by the door. She withdrew her hand, shutting the flap and folding her arms uncomfortably across her chest.

More silence, as Ryoko carefully examined the gift. Then she set it aside, cocking her head on one side as she surveyed her visitor once more.

"You'll bring me Sake." She spoke in soft, weary tones. "Earth Sake at that. You'll travel across the galaxy to a place you don't even like very much...but you won't let me free, so I can go there myself?"

"Ryoko, you know that I can't." The woman looked troubled, glancing over her shoulder again as if afraid to be caught any moment. "They're already suspicious that I visit the cells as often as I do. I'm not supposed to spend time with incarcerated space prisoners, and they know that you and I...well, that we're acquainted. You gave yourself into Galaxy Police custody and I'm a Galaxy Police Officer. I can't risk it."

Ryoko let out a heavy sigh, dropping down onto the floor and crossing her legs absently. She held up her wrists, the cuffs glinting in the dim blue cell light.

"Just a hint how to get rid of these things would be enough." She said frankly. "I can do the rest myself. But with no powers and no spaceship, my options are a bit limited."

"Ryoko, stop it. You know what kind of a position you're putting me in!"

"I don't see how it's any kind of a position." Ryoko pursed her lips, looking pensive. "In fact, you're lucky I still speak to you at all, considering. If you didn't bring me bribes occasionally, I might give it up all together. That and the fact it's so damn boring down here, you're the only thing that relieves the monotony."

She rolled her eyes.

"Everyone else is scared of me. Except Mihoshi. And she gives me a splitting headache, going on as she does about Earth and about...about...other things."

"About Tenchi?" The stranger asked softly. Ryoko's expression darkened.

"About other things." She said flatly, flipping the lid off the sake bottle and taking a swig. "As for taking a risk, Kiyone, what do you think you're already doing? Or isn't smuggling contraband to dangerous prisoners against the Galaxy Police code of conduct now?"

The officer looked uncomfortable.

"Keep your voice down." She muttered. "I told you, I'm having a hard enough time of it as it is with this. I want to help you, Ryoko, but I can't. You're not a small time criminal. I can't sneak you out of the back door and expect nobody to notice you're gone! Not even with things as unstable here as they are. Actually, especially because of that. You're their big catch...the thing that's given them all the positive publicity and brought back people's confidence in the Galaxy Police. After Kain destroyed Headquarters, there's been so few of us left to bring everything back together. Your capture was big news."

"Forgive me for not being enthusiastic about the rebirth of the Galaxy Police." Ryoko feigned a yawn, taking another swig of sake and dumping the bottle down on the floor beside her. "I didn't expect to spend the last three or so Earth Years sitting rotting in a cramped, ugly prison cell while your people go to town on the bragging rights."

"Earth Years?" Kiyone looked startled. "Ryoko, this isn't Earth."

"Thank you for the memo." Ryoko said coldly.

"You still think in Earth time?"

"Why not?" Ryoko shrugged. She sighed. "Not that it matters. Earth years, Jurai years, Galaxy Police cell years. It's all the same to me. If you don't help me get out of this damned prison I'm going to spend the next however many centuries withering away in here. I'm not built for a prison cell, Kiyone! I'm not cut out to stay in one place. I need to travel. I need...I need stars. Stars and night sky and speeding through the universe without anyone on my tail. That's what I'm built for. Not this."

She grimaced.

"And if you weren't such a damn goody two shoes, I'd be out there right now. But you have to be a stickler for the rules." She added. "I'd ask Mihoshi...but I'd like a chance of actually getting out without being caught."

"Mihoshi." Kiyone pursed her lips. "She'll be looking for me, and she can't find me down here. Her lips are looser than anyone I've ever met...it'll be all over HQ in a nano-second. I have to go, Ryoko. But I'll come back...I'll come back soon. With sake, if I can. You know I can't divert from patrol unless I've got orders."

Ryoko rolled her eyes again, flopping onto her back and staring up at the ceiling.

"Just go." She said quietly. "I'm wasting breath even talking to you, aren't I?"

"Ryoko..."

"Kiyone."

"Fine." There was the sound of footsteps and Ryoko knew she was alone once more. She reached for the sake, casting a glance at it and taking another sip.

"Alcohol is meant to make you forget." She murmured aloud. "But Earth alcohol only makes me remember..."


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**__

Flashback: Japan.  
_Three Years Earlier_

_"I've never seen the shrine so covered in leaves."_

Tenchi Masaki leant on his broom, eying the mess with a resigned sigh. "I'm sure twice as many trees have dropped their leaves this autumn. How am I supposed to keep it clear, when as soon as I turn my back it's covered again?"

"You worry too much."

The slim form of a woman flickered and materialised beside him, and he started, dropping his broom with a clatter onto the stone. He put his hands on his hips, glaring as the intruder laughed.

"Ryoko! You could help me, you know, instead of giving me a heart attack by teleporting in and out of my line of vision!"

"Tenchi, what kind of a pirate do you think sweeps up leaves?" Ryoko looked amused, grabbing him by the hand and pulling him upwards before he knew what was happening. "It's boring down here, anyway. Let's go sit somewhere where there's at least a view. Your grandfather's not here - he won't know."

"Ryoko, I have to finish my chores!" Tenchi struggled against her grip, but she just laughed, carrying him up to the roof of the shrine and setting him down with a bump on the rafters. She settled herself cross-legged at one end, eying him thoughtfully as he struggled to get his balance, eventually sitting down heavily opposite her. She grinned.

"You need to work on your landings." She said playfully. Tenchi glowered.

"And how am I supposed to get down from here?" He demanded. "Ryoko, this isn't funny! I have to keep the shrine clear of leaves and I've still my homework and God knows how many other things to do. Would it kill you to help out, just once in a while?"

The humour died out of Ryoko's expression at this, and she sighed, shaking her head slowly.

"You know, I thought that with Ayeka and Sasami dragged back to Jurai by Daddy, we'd at least have some fun now." She said pensively. "Ever since that girl left you've been sweeping leaves, cleaning the shrine, fixing this problem or doing that assignment. It's not quite what I thought it would be like, you know. We've had a thousand adventures across the Galaxy...why are you happy to settle for this?"

"This is my life." Tenchi responded with a frown. "Or it was, before you and Ayeka and all of the others came crashing down on my home. I don't mind you being here, Ryoko, but with Ayeka and Sasami gone back to Jurai, it means there's twice as much work around the house as there was before. Even Kiyone and Mihoshi did their bit. You...seem to be allergic to hard work."

Ryoko let out a gusty sigh, her hair flittering in the autumn breeze as she contemplated his words. At length she drew her brows together in a frown.

"Is that what you really want?" She asked plaintively. "For me to cook and sweep and make tea like Sasami did? After everything we've been through and done? That's what you want from me? I'm not your hired help."

She glanced at her hands, looking pensive.

"You miss Ayeka, don't you?" She asked at length. "You wish she was back here with us right now, I know you do. I can tell, Tenchi. Even when she's not here, you talk about her not being here. It's annoying and it's monotonous. The girl is gone and good riddance. We don't have to think about her and her silly planetary responsibilities."

"Ayeka and Sasami went back to Jurai because the Council there started to get twitchy about their long absence in Deep Space." Tenchi said slowly. "They didn't choose to leave Earth, but they had no choice. Yes, I miss them both, Ryoko. They were my friends and I miss them very much."

Ryoko sighed, rolling her eyes to the heavens at this.

"It figures." She said resignedly, getting to her feet and surveying the messy shrine from the end of her perch. "Princess Priss gets called back to her home planet and you can't get your mind off her. Is it too much to ask for us to spend some time together now? I'm not going to get dragged back to some planet on a moment's notice. I'm not going to be hauled across the Galaxy to take part in some joke revival of the Galaxy Police...and I'm not going to shut myself away in some pokey space station to build a machine to destroy solar systems. I'm the only one here, Tenchi. Just you and me, now. Doesn't that count for something?"

Tenchi was silent for a long while, as if digesting her words. Then he nodded his head.

"I'm glad you're here, Ryoko." He said at length. "And I'm sorry if I seem to nag. I just have so much to do these days. And it would help if **you** would help. That's all. We'd have more time to do other things if you did. Two of us would split the work and you don't have school to fit in between everything else. Things have changed and there aren't so many of us here to do what we can. If you're going to stay, well, we need you to help."

Ryoko looked wistful.

"Fine." She said at length. "If that's what it takes, I guess I can sweep a few leaves up off the shrine floor."

She grabbed him by the hands, but before she could lift them both back down onto the stone below, a bright gleam flickered on the horizon, catching her gaze. She paused, drawing her brows together as she tried to work out what it was she had seen, and Tenchi raised an eyebrow.

"Are we going down today?" He asked. Ryoko nodded.

"Yes." She agreed, gripping his hands tighter and teleporting them both to the ground. "There. Happy now? You're down. And I'll be right back, Tenchi."

"I thought you were going to help sweep up!" Tenchi objected. "There's a spare broom inside the shrine door - Sasami left it there before..."

"I'll be back in a minute." Ryoko cut across him. "I saw something...something on the horizon. It glinted in the sun...I want to know what it was."

"But Ryoko..."

"It won't take me a second." Ryoko shook her head, flickering into nothing before him as she teleported herself across to the other side of the mountain. Clambering carefully up onto the white peak, she glanced out across the sky in the direction she had seen the light. At first she saw nothing, but then, after a moment, she caught sight of the same thing again. A second later she became aware of another gleaming something and then there were four, all coming at speed out of the sky towards the Earth.

Ryoko frowned.

"Spaceships?" She murmured. "Oh dammit. Don't tell me Ayeka's playing hooky again! Just when I have access to Tenchi all by myself, and...wait a minute! I know that ship!"

She launched herself into the sky, her eagle eye scanning the horizon as the first of the crafts drew ahead of the others, hoving into full view as it plotted a course for landing. Ryoko bit her lip.

"Yagami?" She whispered. "But the others...Galaxy Police? It can't be! The only way they'd know where to find me is if..."

She trailed off, teleporting herself towards the place where the ship had now landed, hesitating a few metres from it's bulging red form as she made out two familiar figures descending from it. Her eyes narrowing, she clenched her fists as light flared from her fingers, tensed and ready for battle.

"Ryoko?"

The voice startled her and she swung around, seeing the cheerful, smiling face of Mihoshi staring back. She frowned, raising the ball of light energy threateningly.

"What did you come here for, Mihoshi?" She demanded. "And why did you bring your friends? Have you and Kiyone ratted me out to the Galaxy Police now?"

"Oh, Ryoko, it's so good to see you!" Mihoshi seemed oblivious of the pirate's anger, hurrying to fling her arms around the other girl. "Kiyone and I were sent here to Earth with some other police - isn't it fun? I've missed being here so much. Where is Tenchi? Is he here with you? Wow, it's so cool to see you!"

"Get off me!" Ryoko struggled against her grip, and the light flickered and died as her concentration was broken. "Why are you on Earth, Mihoshi? Tell me what's going on!"

"Well, the new Galaxy Police Headquarters sent us here to find a vicious space pirate." Mihoshi opened wide blue eyes as she surveyed her friend. "Have you seen her? She could be really dangerous you know...you and Tenchi should be careful, okay, Ryoko?"

"Ryoko, thank goodness."

Kiyone joined them at that moment, casting a glance at her partner, and then back to the confused space pirate. "Listen. I shouldn't say this to you, because it's my job to track you down...but you need to leave here now. Get Ryo Ohki, and leave the Earth as soon as possible. There are other ships behind us, ships full of new officers eager to lay hands on the infamous space pirate Ryoko. You haven't much time. We came to warn you...they mean business."

"And how, exactly, did they know to find me here?" Ryoko gave up trying to prise Mihoshi's arms off her, teleporting out of her grip instead and hovering not far from the dark haired officer. "Earth isn't the centre of the universe - most of the old Galaxy Police barely even knew the Solar System existed. Someone must have tipped them off."

Kiyone did not reply, but the glance she sent Mihoshi told Ryoko all she needed to know. Ryoko groaned.

"It figures." She said darkly.

"I'm sorry." Kiyone looked helpless. "I tried to shut her up, but you know how it is with Mihoshi."

"Are we going to go see Tenchi now?" Mihoshi asked at that moment. "It's so exciting, isn't it, Kiyone? And I didn't think we'd come to Earth again for such a long time!"

"I'll go and find Ryo Ohki." Ryoko said quietly. "Thanks for the advance warning, Kiyone. Even if it's not much to be going on with."

She launched herself into the air, flickering and disappearing as the last of the Galaxy Police spacecraft began it's descent to the terrain below. In a second she was back at the shrine, whistling as she did so.

"Ryo Ohki?" She called. "Tenchi, where is Ryo Ohki? She was here asleep under the tree before...where is she now?"

"How should I know? Probably off looking for carrots again." Tenchi frowned. "Ryoko, what's going on? You said you were going to help me, and now...?"

"The Galaxy Police are here." Ryoko sounded annoyed. "Mihoshi opened her big mouth and now they're here in their droves in search of me. I have to find Ryo Ohki and leave the Earth for a little while...before they catch up to me and cause me some serious hassle. I won't be gone long...just long enough for them to ascertain I'm not here. And then if you want to sweep leaves, well, we'll sweep leaves. But I have priorities here, Tenchi, and spending my life in a Galaxy Police prison cell is not high on the list."

"The Galaxy Police?" Tenchi stared at her, then, "To arrest you? Why?"

Ryoko tut-tutted, looking impatient.

"I'm a space pirate, Tenchi. Most wanted criminal in the galaxy, yada yada." She said with a sigh. "Did you happen to forget all of that?"

"Oh yeah." Tenchi looked sheepish. "I guess I did. I mean, you're not really a pirate any more, are you?"

Ryoko looked startled. Then she shrugged.

"If you had your way, I'd be leaf-sweeper instead." She said wryly. "Will you help me find Ryo Ohki? I don't know how much time I have before they find me and..."

"Tenchi! Oh it's so good to see you!"

Mihoshi's voice broke through the conversation and Ryoko let out a cry of frustration.

"Mihoshi, what are you doing here?" She demanded. "You'll lead them right to me!"

"I'm looking for the dangerous criminal." Mihoshi's brow furrowed in confusion. "And I wanted to see Tenchi again. Hi Tenchi! It seems like ages since I was last here!"

"It's been almost six months." Tenchi agreed. "Hi, Mihoshi. It's good to see you too."

"For the last damn time, has anyone seen Ryo Ohki?" Ryoko exclaimed, irritation bubbling in her expression. "I hate to break up the reunion but some of us need to make an escape here!"

"Well, well. The Space Pirate, Ryoko."

A fresh voice disturbed the gathering and all turned to face a man with a physical age of about forty, dark eyes staring coldly out from beneath his Galaxy Police hat. He saluted Mihoshi, who clumsily did her best to imitate him.

"Good work, Detective Mihoshi."

"Wow, thank you sir. Really?" Mishoshi's eyes became bright with pride and surprise. "Oh my, I didn't know that I was doing good work by being here! Wow, isn't it exciting, Ryoko? All these people here and they've come to see Tenchi, too. Isn't it great!"

Ryoko's fingers crackled with charges of yellow light. She ignored Mihoshi's random ramblings, fixing her gaze instead on the man who was obviously in charge.

"You want a piece of me?" She said dangerously, raising her hand as the light formed itself into a bright sabre. "Come and get me."

The Galaxy Police official flicked his fingers in a decisive gesture, and from the surrounding undergrowth a charge of officers poured into the shrine complex, each armed with identical weapons and each with their gaze fixed firmly on Ryoko. At the back of the pack was Kiyone, her weapon undrawn and a troubled look in her eyes. As Ryoko charged on the front line of the police with a yell of fury, Tenchi ducked back inside the shrine, unsure what to make of the chaos unfolding in front of him. So engrossed in her fight, Ryoko did not even notice that he was missing. Her mouth set in a grim line, she drew her blade across this weapon and that, slicing many in two and knocking their owners to the ground.

"You should think very carefully before challenging a space pirate like me so casually." She hissed. "I'm not your common and garden criminal."

"Ryoko, you are charged with multiple counts of piracy and destruction, spanning several years." The chief told her soberly. "We have been given licence to hunt and destroy in the cause of finding you and bringing you to justice. If you run from here, we will track you down. You will not leave this planet that you have found shelter on so easily...Ryo Ohki has been captured and contained, so you are without a space ship or a means to flee the Earth. If you continue to resist us, there will be further scenes of violence as we track you down. We will not give up, and we will not leave Earth without you. Give yourself up now, or have the destruction of this planet added to the charges already heavy over your head!"

Ryoko opened her mouth to retort, but as his words struck deep with her, dismay mingled with her anger and she paused, holding her blade aloft as she considered what he had told her.

"Ryo Ohki?" She murmured. "Is that why I can't find her? Hey! Is it fair to sneak up on the poor girl while she's sleeping? At least cut me some slack here. It's not a fair fight if you have space travel capabilities and I don't, you know!"

"You've heard the choice being offered." The chief drew himself up to his full height. "This is your last chance, Ryoko. Give yourself up and come peacefully with us."

"And if I don't want to do that?" Ryoko put her hands on her hips, her blade flickering out as she tried to gauge her opposition's line of thought. "You're a shadow of the Galaxy Police as they used to be before Kain wiped out your Headquarters. What makes you think your threats scare me? I've escaped your clutches before, and you know it. Do you really think you can bring me in so easily?"

"We have our orders to take you, alive or dead." The chief raised his hand, gesturing to a group of officers that stood just apart from the rest. "Arm the laser cannons. If you'd rather be dead, we can soon settle that."

"Wait a minute!"

Now Tenchi was back among them, holding up his hands. "What's going on here? What are you going to do to my Grandfather's shrine? Can't you all just settle this peacefully? There's no need for cannons, surely?"

"Silence, Earthling." The chief's gaze flitted to him and then back to the defiant Ryoko. "This is Galaxy Police business. I would advise you to leave the surrounding area. It is about to become very dangerous around here."

"But..."

"Those who protect criminal vermin like Ryoko may also suffer her fate." The chief said flatly. "Shall we take you with us as well?"

"No!"

Ryoko put up her hand, shaking her head as two of the officers began to advance on Tenchi. "No, stop it! Leave him alone. Leave him out of this! It's not his fight, it's mine. It's me you want."

"You're right, Ryoko." The chief agreed. "But shielding a space pirate is also a serious offence. He may also face charges at Headquarters."

Ryoko's eyes flickered with emotion.

"He has nothing to do with this." She said quietly, meeting Kiyone's gaze at this juncture as if urging her to keep silent. "He's just a native earthling. He doesn't know what a Space Pirate is or what I've done. Leave him alone."

"Regretfully..."

"The Galaxy Police of old had morals at the very least!" Ryoko spat out. "They didn't take innocent bystanders into custody and they didn't bring them into the line of fire! I told you, your fight is with me! Return Ryo Ohki to me and have that fight in space, away from this planet and the people who live here. This isn't their battle!"

"Your choice is to surrender to us as you are, or face the consequences for this world you hide in." The chief said solemnly. "I know better than my predecessor...Ryo Ohki is a fast vessel and one you have managed numerous escapes aboard. We won't risk it this time. You can give yourself up, or we will open fire...on you, on your boy, and on this hut you call a hiding place."

"It's a shrine." Ryoko bristled. "Not a hut. Don't you know anything? Geez, what idiot put you in charge?"

"Prepare to fire on the target." The chief turned his gaze to the waiting officers, and Ryoko bit her lip.

"All right!" She exclaimed. "Hold your fire!"

"Ryoko?" Tenchi stared at her, and she cast him a look of anguish and regret as she dropped her hands down by her sides, walking slowly towards the waiting police official.

"On these terms and these terms alone." She said softly, just loud enough for the officer to hear. "If I give myself up to you, you leave this place alone. You leave Tenchi alone. If I come with you to Galaxy Police Headquarters, then you promise to keep away from the planet Earth and it's inhabitants. You'll have what you want. Just don't bring them into a fight that isn't theirs."

"That is agreeable." The chief nodded his head.

"And one other thing." Ryoko raised her voice. "I surrender myself to the custody of Detectives Mihoshi and Kiyone only. Since Mihoshi found me, I think that's her right."

She shot Mihoshi a chilling stare at this, but that girl seemed oblivious, doing a little dance of excitement.

"Oh, how cool!" She said. "We're going to have a visitor aboard Yagami again, Kiyone! Just like the old days!"

"Detective Kiyone, take custody of the prisoner." The chief beckoned to Kiyone, who reluctantly shuffled forward. She met Ryoko's gaze, and the pirate saw regret in the depths of her companion's eyes. Wordlessly she raised her hands to the Galaxy Police Officer, not flinching as Kiyone fastened the tight silver cuffs around her wrists.

"Ryoko!" Tenchi's cry cut through her like a knife, and she bit her lip.

"Don't worry about me." She called back over her shoulder. "You know me better than that, Tenchi."

"But Ryoko..."

"Tenchi." Kiyone finished fastening the cuffs, raising her gaze to his. "We have to go. Take care of yourself, and of your father and grandfather. I'm sorry it has to be this way."

Ryoko dropped her gaze to the ground, allowing herself to be led back towards the waiting spacecrafts. Tenchi's calling still echoed behind her and she hardened her resolve, determined not to waver or show emotion towards the world she was leaving behind. She glanced at the cuffs on her wrists, knowing that whoever had designed them had planned ahead, and that they had been built to weather and subdue her particular brand of magic.

She cast a lingering look at the Earth's scenery, a lump in her throat as she realised it might be the last time she ever saw the planet she had begun to think of as 'home'. Then she turned her back on it once and for all, following Mihoshi carefully into the bay of Yagami.

"Goodbye, my Tenchi." She whispered. "One day we'll meet again, I swear it!"  



	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three  
**_Three Earth Years On_

There was still so much to be done.

The Princess Ayeka glanced at her reflection in the glittering mirror pool, reaching up an absent hand to adjust her hair as she did so. Primping and preparing herself for a public appearance had once been a pleasure, but now her hands moved automatically, not enthusiastically, and only force of habit made her complete her preparations so thoroughly.

After all, it would not do for the people of Jurai to see their princess in disarray.

She eyed the soft lavender gown she had been urged to wear, touching it's delicate fabric with a slim white finger and running her hand down it's smooth folds. Expensive material, she knew. Imported from a far away galaxy especially for her to wear at this morning's official presentation. And yet, something about it palled on her. Even the gentle glimmering of the Juraian mirror pool could not improve her mood today. Everything was quiet, beautiful and peaceful. And more than anything, she longed to be away from it.

"Ayeka! Ayeka, are you ready yet?"

Her train of thought was broken by the voice of her young sister Sasami, radiant in her own gentle blue dress and with a headdress of particular Jurai blooms crowning her brow. Sasami's soft crimson eyes reflected excitement and happiness, and Ayeka forced herself a smile, nodding her head as the younger girl ran to join her.

"Wow, Ayeka, you look so beautiful!" Sasami's voice was deep with awe as she grasped her sister's hand, squeezing it tightly. "Father and Mother will be so proud of you today! And so will Takeru...he won't be able to believe it when he sees you, I swear!"

"Do you think so?" Ayeka glanced down at herself once more, then sighed. "I'm not sure that's what I hoped for, Sasami. This morning is important to everyone...so why do I feel so negative towards it?"

Sasami's eyes became thoughtful and she linked her arm in her sister's, leading her away from the mirror pool.

"I miss Tenchi too, Ayeka." She said gravely. "Of course I do. But you know what Father said. What everyone has said. I don't want Jurai to be in trouble again, Ayeka. I don't! It was scary the last time and I don't want it to happen again."

"Nor do I, Sasami." Ayeka agreed soberly. "That's why we came back, remember? Because Jurai needs security and stability. It's less than a single Juraian year since Kagato was defeated. We've been on Earth and we've seen the seasons change but for Juraians it's much more recent in their memories. We can't give them any reason to doubt our family's fidelity to the Juraian throne. And Tenchi...Tenchi made his choice."

She sighed.

"He chose to go back to Earth." She added. "And he's still there now, with that awful pirate woman. Who would have thought he'd choose her, Sasami? Why would anyone choose her?"

"Do you think Tenchi loves Ryoko?" Sasami looked surprised. Ayeka grimaced, nodding her head.

"I know he does." She said with a heavy sigh. "There have been so many signs...so many hints as to the way his mind has gone. When Haruna kidnapped him, it was Ryoko he remembered, Ryoko's face he sketched. Not me. He didn't remember me, Sasami. And if he had truly wanted to be with me, he would have stayed on Jurai after Kagato's death. It would have been easy for him. This is his family...his world, where he truly belongs. But he chose to leave and go back to the Earth. He knows Ryoko would never be welcome on Jurai. Why else would he return there, if not in the hope of seeing her again?"

"I think Tenchi likes both of you a whole lot." Sasami said thoughtfully. "And me and Kiyone and Mihoshi and Washu and everybody. Im sure he misses us too, Ayeka. But maybe we can visit him. Once the ceremony is over and it's official that you are Crown Princess of Jurai, then you can do whatever you like. And Father will make sure you have a new ship, even if Ryu-Oh is still rooted on Earth. It'll be fine, you'll see. We only have to stay here so long as all of this is going on. Then we can go away on holiday again, like before. It'll be fun, Ayeka, so don't be sad."

Ayeka bit her lip, shaking her head.

"This morning's ceremony is the final meeting between my family and Takeru's family." She said quietly. "Tomorrow our betrothal will be formalised. Before we know it I will be his bride and a married woman, Sasami. It won't be so easy for me to dive into Deep Space at a moment's notice and even if I could, how could I face Tenchi knowing that I was already spoken for? It would be too cruel. Too cruel indeed."

"But you are going to marry Takeru, Ayeka?" Sasami asked. Ayeka nodded.

"It's my duty." She agreed. "And I've always done that, Sasami, ever since the day I was born. We just have to accept that our holiday days are over, that's all. A fun memory, nothing more."

"I hope you're wrong." Sasami said decidedly.

"Princess Ayeka, Princess Sasami, everyone is gathered downstairs in the Chamber."

A smartly dressed knight appeared in the entrance at that moment, offering a formal bow to both girls as he did so.

"Thank you, Kamadake. We will be with you immediately." Ayeka said soberly. "Sasami, do I really look all right?"

"You look beautiful, I told you." Sasami nodded her head. "Come on, Ayeka! It might even be fun!"

Another sunny day.

Tenchi walked slowly along the mountain path to his grandfather's shinto shrine, pausing as he did so to glance up at the blooming trees. A mixture of red blooms and delicate cherry blossoms looped over his head like a natural archway and despite himself, a smile touched his lips. The flowers brought back memories of a time that seemed dead and gone, and for a moment he just stood there, absorbing the gentle beauty around him.

At length he glanced at his watch, pursing his lips and speeding up his pace as he headed in the direction of the shrine once more. His grandfather had never liked tardiness, and stopping to dream about flowers would not suffice as an excuse. A wry smile twitched at the corners of his mouth. He might be grown now, a student at the city university and at the start of a whole new life...but some things did not change. And, as the shrine came into view before him, he realised that they probably would not change again any time soon. This was his world and the world his grandfather had chosen for them all. Somehow he belonged here.

"Tenchi!"

A gruff voice from the top of the temple steps alerted him to his grandfather's presence and he hurried up the steps, almost tripping over the top one and falling headlong onto the stone at the old man's feet. His grandfather made no comment, simply watching and waiting for the embarrassed young man to scramble to his feet.

"You're late, Tenchi." He said at length. "Dreaming again?"

"No..." Tenchi pursed his lips, hesitating, then shaking his head. A knowing gleam entered the old man's eye, and he nodded thoughtfully. He held out a broom.

"Well, then you have chores to do, don't you." He said quietly. "Now that your studies are finished for the year, you have plenty of time to attend to them, don't you, my boy?"

Tenchi took the broom without complaint, glancing up at his grandfather as he did so.

"I was just thinking about how everything stays the same, no matter how much time passes." He said reflectively, beginning to sweep the stray blossoms from the shrine steps. "Don't you think so, Grandfather? We've travelled through so many galaxies and seen so many things. But here we are, sweeping the shrine, just as ever."

"You're sweeping the shrine, Tenchi." Kazuhito's eyes twinkled with amusement. "I have other things to do this morning."

"You know what I mean." Tenchi grimaced. "Doesn't it seem at all strange to you?"

"No, my boy. I have seen many years together that were the same." Kazuhito looked thoughtful. "You're not bored, are you? Because if you don't have enough to do I'm sure your father and I can find many more jobs for you around the house."

"No, I'm not bored." Tenchi said hurriedly. "I suppose I was just wondering what everyone else was doing. Now they're so far away, and all."

"Ah." Kazuhito's expression softened. "And yet it's been three years or more since you saw them last, Tenchi. Why suddenly think of them now?"

"I don't know." Tenchi leaned on his broom, frowning. "Just the time of year, I guess. The cherry blossom on the trees...just memories. Nothing else."

"Well, it is a shame that you couldn't convince at least one of the young ladies to marry you." Kazuhito sounded resigned. Tenchi stared.

"Grandfather!"

"It's a valid point, Tenchi. Several attractive young women and you managed to let them all slip through your hands." Kazuhito shook his head, amusement on his face. "What would your mother have said if she'd known that? Really, my boy, you must make more of an effort."

He jerked a wisened hand towards the broom.

"And the shrine isn't sweeping itself, you know." He added. "There are plenty of hours in the day, Tenchi, but none can be spared for idleness."

"Sorry." Tenchi looked sheepish, beginning to sweep once again. "I forgot what I was doing. But do you think that we'll ever see any of them again? I mean..."

He faltered, pursing his lips. "Well, I guess sometimes I miss travelling across the galaxy and seeing different planets and places. It's crazy...on all our travels I've always wanted to just go home. But now, when I am home and when everything is normal...I miss the rush and the freedom of going wherever. Don't you ever miss it, Grandfather? You chose Earth...but don't you miss Jurai?"

"I would not go back to Jurai now." Kazuhito shook his head. "I chose this planet and I am content with my life here."

He eyed his companion thoughtfully.

"But perhaps you miss the company of certain Juraian princesses more than I would." He suggested cryptically. "They were both very pretty girls, Tenchi. Even Sasami - she will be a beauty in her own right someday."

Tenchi reddened, dropping his gaze to the stone and for a few moments he swept in silence. Then, at length, he shook his head.

"I didn't want to stay on Jurai either, Grandfather. I'm like you that way." He said slowly. "This is my home...this is where I've grown up and had my life and this is who I am. Tenchi Masaki, just another ordinary guy on another ordinary college course. Nothing else. That's what I want. I don't want to be Crown Prince of Jurai and have all of those responsibilities."

"Ah well, then we have to accept the things we lose along with the things we gain." Kazuhito said philosophically. "I will see you later, Tenchi. Make sure you don't miss anything!"

Tenchi watched the old man disappear into the shrine, then raised his gaze to the sky, pausing in his sweeping once more to examine the heavens. There were no blinding white lights in the upper atmosphere today. A clear, cloudless sky hid nothing, and all he could see was miles and miles of blue. He sighed.

"This is crazy." He told himself out loud. "If Grandfather knew how I was thinking, he'd think I'd lost my mind. Perhaps I have. I don't know. I do miss them all, though. It's strange but life isn't the same here without all the arguments and the chaos. I thought life was fine before I met them...now I'm not sure if it is."

So, everything was ready now.

With a slight smile of pleasure, the tall dark man got to his feet, striding across the bow of the spaceship to the big square monitor that glinted under the false lights. Above his head, shards of crystal hovered and glimmered as the ship drove through deep space, making barely a sound as it surged forward.

"Well, Karasu." The man spoke out loud, and the crystals vibrated, their light dipping and glowing as they registered his voice pattern. "It's been a long long time, hasn't it?"

There was no response, but the ship's light's flickered as if in agreement, and the man let out a low pitched laugh, placing wisened hands on the control panel as he did so.

"More years than I care to remember or to count." He murmured. "But we're here again, Karasu. Good as new and better, too. The universe has missed it's rogue while I've been away - I wonder if they even remember me, now that it's been such a long time."

He pressed a few buttons on the console, dropping idly back into the deep blue swivel seat as he surveyed the mass of images that flooded one half of the screen. In slow motion he played through the same routine of pictures again and again, a frown touching his lips as he focused in on one scene in particular.

"The Galaxy Police." He murmured softly. "In Jurai's back pocket, as ever they were. The Emperor Azusa barks and they snap to attention...eager little mites, aren't they, Karasu? Scrambling around Deep Space looking for scraps to take home to their Master."

He clicked off the screen with some force, derision sparkling in his ice blue eyes. "But they were disappointed. No scraps for the Galaxy Police this time. Just a burnt out shell of your former incarnation, and a scrap of cape I left behind. No body. No triumph. Just a literal waste of space."

Karasu's crystals shimmered in agreement, and gently the man traced the deep-carved wings embedded in the ship's main control panel. He smiled.

"Nobody told them you were a Phoenix." He whispered. "Named for a darker bird, perhaps...but your life force sustained us both in sub-space, until it was time to get our revenge. We are one, Karasu, and we fight alongside one another as ever we did before. You know what I want better than I know myself...what do you think, my ship? Shall we succeed this time?"

The ship's screen blinked and flickered once more into life, bringing into focus a picture of a young woman. For a moment the man stared at her, taking in her delicate, pale complexion and the soft waves of silken hair that framed her face. She was almost as porcelain, he mused, reaching out a finger to touch her. Then he paused, and a slow smile spread across his lips. He let out a deep throated chuckle, clapping his hands together in appreciation.

"You have your wits about you as much as you always did." He remarked. "Well, Karasu, so this is your idea? This is our next move?"

Karasu's monitor blinked again, showing another picture, and the man's lips curled in amusement. He nodded his head.

"Yes, I think you're right." He agreed softly. "So we'll go, Karasu, and claim what's rightfully ours. After so long in exile, it's the least we deserve...and with some gentle persuasion, I'm sure that Jurai will be happy to comply!"


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

"Sasami-kyou, may I have this dance?"

Sasami gazed up at the prince, laughter sparkling in her eyes as she took in his gentle, friendly expression. She nodded her head, grasping him loosely around the wrists.

"Of course I will, Takeru-dono, so long as my sister doesn't mind." She said playfully. "She might, you know...after all, you are going to be her husband soon enough!"

"Your noble sister seems somewhat out of sorts tonight." Takeru turned his head and Sasami followed his gaze across the brightly lit Juraian chamber to where Ayeka sat, away from the centre of the celebrations. She seemed quite isolated somehow, Sasami thought, immaculately turned out and more beautiful than she had ever been - yet detached from the royal merriment that surrounded her. A frown touched her lips.

"You're right." She owned, slipping her hand into her companion's. "Let's go speak to her...maybe we can cheer her up."

"Perhaps not." Takeru seemed troubled. "Princess Sasami, I think what troubles your sister is the impending wedding celebrations themselves. I think she is...well...afraid to marry me. That maybe I am not the choice of her heart, but the choice of her father's and the Emperor's instead."

"Lord Takeru." Sasami's expression became mock-scolding. "She's just upset that she won't be able to go travelling any more, that's all. We had so much fun on our last visit into Deep Space, and we made so many good friends. I think she wishes they were here with us to celebrate the wedding. I know I wish they were."

"You're excited at least." Takeru looked amused. Sasami nodded.

"It will be my first Royal Wedding." She agreed. "And then Ayeka will be officially appointed Crown Princess and one day she will be Empress and you Emperor. Of course it's exciting - I will be the sister of an empress!"

"You will be a most honoured guest in the Throne Room, my lady." Takeru's tones held a faint teasing note, and he led her away from the dance floor, taking a seat to one side and indicating for the young girl to follow suit. "But tell me about these friends of yours, Sasami-kyou. The Lady Ayeka is not forthcoming on the details of your adventures in Space. I know you were called back against your will, and for that I apologise. But I hope it won't remain too grievous a grudge between us."

"No, not at all. Don't be silly." Sasami told him firmly. "We both knew we would come home and I missed everyone here too, you know. It's just that there are so many worlds out there and we had so many adventures."

She giggled.

"I think I miss Ryo Ohki most of all."

"Ryo...Ohki?" Takeru looked non-plussed. "What is a Ryo Ohki?"

"A spaceship." Sasami dimpled. "With a fixation for carrots."

"Carrots?" Takeru's brows knitted together. "Lady Sasami, I fear I don't understand...what kind of a space ship is...a carrot?"

"No, silly!" Sasami let out a peal of laughter, shaking her head. "No, Ryo Ohki is a different kind of spaceship from our ships on Jurai. I don't know where she came from or who created her, but she's cute and fluffy when she isn't flying through space. And carrots are...are a plant that they grow on a planet we visited. Ryo Ohki liked to eat them...sort of like fuel, I suppose. It's hard to explain. But we met a lot of people who were very different from people on Jurai. It was nice."

"It must have been." Takeru nodded his head. "I have never travelled beyond Jurai space limits, so in a sense I envy you your travels."

He paused, pursing his lips as he glanced back across the room at his fiancee. "Lady Sasami, do you think that is truly the reason Ayeka is unhappy? Because I want so much to make her happy, you know that? It's not only an honour for me to be her husband, but also a matter of the heart. I have to admit, I love your sister very much."

"I'm sure." Sasami kicked her legs idly underneath her, nodding her head. "Jurai seems kinda small when you've been all over the whole universe!"

"Then I will have to ensure she doesn't feel that way any longer." Takeru got to his feet, and Sasami stared up at him.

"Lord Takeru?"

"Come on. I'm going to speak to your sister." Takeru responded. "Will you come with me, Lady Sasami?"

"Of course." Sasami nodded her head eagerly. "What are you going to say to her, Takeru? Please, make her smile again. She's been far too unhappy since we came back to Jurai, and I hate seeing her upset. She's going to have a big party and it's all going to be so special - I don't want her to cry."

"Nor do I." Takeru agreed quietly. "So you and I, we must do something about it. Don't you agree?"

"I agree completely." Sasami nodded again, blue bunches bobbing. "Ayeka? Ayeka, Takeru-san and I want to speak to you!"

Ayeka raised her head at the sound of her sister's voice, schooling her features into a smile as she saw them approach.

"How nice." She said softly. "I'm sorry...I must be quite tired tonight. I'm not proving a very good escort, am I, Lord Takeru?"

"Ayeka-kyou, you have much to consider." Takeru offered his formal bow, then sat down at Ayeka's side as Sasami settled herself at her sister's feet with little regard for the condition of her dress. "Your sister tells me that you're missing the adventuring across space and you and she have experienced - that you feel you will be trapped on Jurai from now on."

Surprise flickered in Ayeka's eyes, and Sasami offered her a playful grin.

"I was trying to explain to him about Ryo Ohki." She said, amused. "I don't think he quite understood."

"Ryo Ohki." Ayeka's expression became shadowed, then she spread her hands. "I don't know. Perhaps Sasami is right. I do feel...that I miss people."

"Well, then we will have to make sure that we travel far and wide whenever we can, once we are married." Takeru said firmly. "At least once every solar cycle, you and I shall travel outside of Juraian space limits and pay a visit to some of these wonderful worlds you two have already seen. Perhaps even visit the planet from which come these 'carrots' that Sasami has tried to tell me about."

Ayeka stared at her fiance for a moment, and Sasami reached up, squeezing her sister's slim fingers in her own firm grip.

"Can I come on your trips, too?" She asked. "It'd be so much fun, Ayeka, don't you think? We could go visit the Earth and everyone there...and we could go find Washu and then go to the Galaxy Police and see how Kiyone and Mihoshi are doing...wouldn't it be nice?"

Ayeka's expression was unreadable for a moment. Then she nodded her head.

"Yes, Sasami. It would be very pleasant." She agreed quietly. She offered a smile to Takeru, and only Sasami knew that it was not entirely genuine.

"Thank you, Lord Takeru. You have made me much happier with this promise."

"I'm glad to hear it." Takeru's handsome features broke into a relieved smile. "Then you must dance with me, Lady Ayeka. After all, soon we will be husband and wife, and people will expect to see us together."

"Hey! You still owe me a dance too, Lord Takeru!" Sasami protested. Takeru's eyes twinkled, and he nodded.

"Yes, after your sister." He promised. "Well, Lady Ayeka? Will you accept?"

Ayeka got gracefully to her feet.

"Of course I will." She agreed conservatively, holding out her hand to his. "You are right, of course, as you generally are. Yes, let us dance."

"Single file. No pushing!"

The guard rapped out her commands, her eye never leaving the slow procession of shabbily dressed convicts as they were led slowly down the corridor to the big bath-house that served the whole of the prison complex. Her gaze bored into Ryoko's back as she passed along with the others, her ankles hobbled and her silver cuffs digging deeper into her skin than usual. It was hot in the crowded corridor, and as the lead prisoner faltered, she heard the crack of the chief guard's whip. Inwardly she winced. A far cry from the happy hours spent in the onsen back on Earth, she mused absently as they were carefully segregated into groups, each with a particular officer in charge.

The guard barked some more orders to a companion, who roughly grabbed Ryoko's arm and held her to one side as the first group of prisoners were sent into the baths. Ryoko was too used to the routine now to even put up a fight, standing silently as she waited for her captor to allow her to enter.

Even heavily handicapped by the power-draining cuffs, they still did not trust her not to try and escape.

At length, the guard who had custody of her pulled her forward, pushing her into the bath-house with a terse command to 'hurry up'. Ryoko met the woman's gaze for a moment, then dropped her gaze, obeying the order without defiance. When she had first arrived, she had railed against such demoralising treatment, but she had soon learnt that all it achieved was the crack of the whip and short rations in her prison cell for the next few weeks. If she had to live this life, she reasoned, as she slipped out of her dirty uniform, she at least would try and live it the easiest way possible.

Once she was changed, the guard reached down to remove her ankle shackles, pushing her towards the water and Ryoko dipped beneath the warmth, enjoying the sensation over her skin. For all her adventures, she had always been aware of her own cleanliness and to be limited to one bath a week had been a difficult thing to become used to. Along the far wall of the compact bath-house, guards of both genders stood with arms folded, their stony gazes fixed on the six or so prisoners bathing at one time, and she rolled her eyes, ducking beneath the water.

"Prisoner Ryoko!" Immediately she heard her name rapped out and she resurfaced, sinking back against the tiles with a sigh as she ran her fingers through her drenched hair. It was the closest she would come to a good wash in some days, she knew that, and even if the onsen was barely big enough to hold the six bathing prisoners, she would make do.

"Hey, get out of my water space, pirate!"

A bulky female prisoner elbowed her to one side, splashing her liberally as she forced her stocky frame into an imaginary space. Ryoko's eyes glinted with anger, but she caught the gaze of the guard, and merely turned her back.

"Look at me when I speak to you!"

The woman's tone was low and menacing and Ryoko turned back, meeting the other woman's dark gaze with a level one of her own.

"Do I know you?" She asked softly.

"I know you're supposed to be some hot shot pirate." The woman's eyes narrowed to mere slits. "They think you're some kind of whizz criminal and they say you've even crashed the Jurai Royal Palace. Well you know what I think? I think it's baloney. I think you're a mouse on a jumped up rep, that's what I think. Can't even meet someone's gaze in the bath-house? Gimme a break."

Ryoko eyed her shrewdly.

"Obviously you don't know me." She said astutely. "Else you wouldn't be talking to me like that."

"And what are you going to do about it?" The woman demanded. She reached over, grabbing one of Ryoko's cuffed wrists with a derisive snort. "You're shackled. Nothing without your demon magic, are you, Ryoko? Same as the rest of us now, aren't you?"

"What is your problem?" Ryoko demanded angrily, pulling her arm away. "Shut your face...can't you let a girl have a bath in peace?"

"You shut your face." The woman bristled. "Or no, I'll shut it for you."

She swung her fist, but Ryoko's reflexes were too quick and she parried the blow, pushing the woman's arm away. As her foe struggled to counter, Ryoko was out of the bath, anger glinting in her golden eyes.

"If you want me, I'm right here. Powers or not, I'll take you on." She hissed.

"Prisoner Ryoko! Prisoner Nakumi! Desist!"

The guard's voices rang out, harsh and clear, but neither woman took any notice. Nakumi squared herself, but again Ryoko's lighter form gave her the advantage of agility and before the other woman knew what was happening she was pinned against the tiles by her throat, Ryoko's fingers hovering delicately above her windpipe.

"I said _desist_!"

Rough hands pulled the two women apart, and with a groan Nakumi sunk beneath the water, only to be hauled back up again by two prison guards. Ryoko struggled against the hands that held her, but they were too tight and she found herself forcibly dressed and shackled. With the heavy, coarse uniform chafing against her still wet body, Ryoko gave up the fight, allowing the officers to drag her out of the bath-house and back to her cell.

"If you weren't already serving a permanent term, Ryoko, you'd get life in prison for this!" One guard told her, as they threw her down with some force onto the cell floor. Then they left her alone, and as the forcefield whirred shut behind her, Ryoko picked herself up, shivering as she hunted around her barren cell for something with which to properly dry herself. Inwardly she berated her loss of temper, but it was too late to call the action back.

"Dry toast all week, no doubt." She muttered. "Damn that woman. Damn every prisoner who tries to take a pop at me! Just because I have a reputation...we're all trying to get by in here, and they always pin the blame on me. I hate this world. I hate it! I just wish I knew how to get out of it!"

She pulled the worn sheet from her bed, wrapping it around herself in a vain attempt to find comfort as her gaze drifted once more to the narrow window of the cell. Despite herself, she sighed.

"Tenchi." She whispered. "Do you even remember who I am now? It's been so long...it seems like another life time."

She sank back against the cold steel wall, closing her eyes.

"Forever is a long time when you live as long as I do." She muttered. "It's no good. Somehow I have to find a way out of here. There has to be a way...and if Kiyone won't help me, well, I'll just have to find it myself!"

It was pitch black outside now.

Ayeka stood on the balcony, gazing up dreamily into the stars that sprinkled the Jurai skyline, covered only by the barest wisps of cloud. Only half an hour earlier, she had been escorted back to her room, the betrothal celebrations having been proclaimed a complete success, and she found herself glad of the solitude, unable to maintain her pretence any longer.

"Takeru is a good man and one I don't deserve." She murmured to herself. "Even if Tenchi does love Ryoko, my heart is still on Earth with him and with Ryu Oh, my ship. Yes, father has assigned me any ship that I would like from his fleet, but none of them are the fruit of my tree. I should have brought a branch back with me. It was so sudden, I didn't even think...but it's strange to be without Ryu Oh. Maybe that's why I feel as lost as I do. Half of my soul is in a different galaxy, as well as the man I love. Explaining that to Takeru is impossible...he just says that when we are wed, I can take a branch of his family's tree and start anew. Even Sasami seems to think that in time he'll make me a good husband. It's so wrong to always want the things you can't have - but I do want them. I want them desperately. Even if he does love Ryoko, I wish I could at least see him once again. Ask him once and for all where his heart lies, before I sign my soul away to Takeru and my future on Jurai."

Hope flickered in her heart as the start of an idea began to take form, and she ran back into her chamber, grabbing her cape and fastening it around her throat. Gathering together a few random bits and pieces, she pushed open the door of her chamber, pausing to ascertain whether either of the knights were on duty outside her room. The sound of noisy Earth video games from along the hall told the young princess that both her bodyguards were suitably occupied with their younger charge, their main duties over for the night, and she inwardly said a prayer of thanks, closing the door behind her with as quiet a click as she could manage. Then she threw caution to the wind, hurrying helter-skelter down the big cavernous hallway and through the twisting branches of the Jurai royal palace until she reached the landing bay, where all of her father's space fleet were docked.

At the entrance she paused, considering her options.

"I'm not Lord Yosho. I won't leave my people and abandon them when they need me." She murmured. "But if I fly tonight, then I can be back by the morning and nobody will ever know I was gone. I can go to Earth, I can speak to Tenchi and then maybe I will be able to marry Takeru wth a peaceful heart! Even to hear him tell me that he doesn't love me has to be better than this uncertainty. I'd take that, just to see him again. However long a journey it is...I must try."

She crept across the dark docking bay, pausing at the furthermost spaceship and running her finger over the control panel. It opened at the touch of her Jurai magic, cascading steps down to the ground and carefully she picked up her heavy skirts, clambering aboard the craft and ordering it to shut the door behind her. It was an unfamiliar vessel, but in the style of many she had seen before, and so she made her way across the delicate sentient tree-scape, setting her hands down gently on the ship's central tree, the nervous system for the entire vessel.

"Hello, ship." She murmured. "I don't know your name, but my name is Ayeka. I am kin to Ryu Oh - are you also a child of Tsunami, the Tree of Life?"

At the name Tsunami, the tree's branches lit up with a cavalcade of colour, and Ayeka became aware of the soft hum of the ship's motor. She smiled.

"I thought so." she murmured. "You are brother to Ryu Oh, and you understand my words. Help me then, ship. I need to travel - to travel far across the Galaxy, to a solar system and a planet known simply as Earth. Do you know such a planet? And can you take me there and back again before the sun rises on Jurai tomorrow? My father will worry if he knows I am gone, but I simply can't stay here and wonder any more."

The ship hummed as it began to slowly lift into the air, launching itself strongly through the clear Juraian sky towards the upper atmosphere. As it climbed, Ayeka sank back against the tree's comforting branches.

"And this time I will bring back Ryu Oh's branch." She said aloud. "Then I'll have my ship at least, even if I won't have my Tenchi. At least then all of me will be on Jurai, even if I have to leave him behind."

So immersed was she in her thoughts that she did not notice Sasami's face at the balcony of her room, or hear the exclamation that came from the young girl's lips as she realised what was going on. Lost in her dreams, Ayeka allowed the ship to soar higher and higher above the Juraian landscape, shooting off into the stars as it plotted it's course for the Earth.

"What is she doing!"

Back in the palace, Sasami turned a dismayed face on Azaka as the knight came to join her on the balcony.

"What's wrong, Princess Sasami?" Azaka looked alarmed. "Has something happened? Won't you come back to our game - I think that I might even be winning this round."

"Azaka, we can't play! Not right now!" Sasami was near tears, and she clung to the knight in her distress. "Ayeka's run away! I just saw her...I saw her leave in one of Father's spaceships! Quickly, we have to go get her back!"

"Run away?" Kamadake came to join them, catching the end of the conversation. "But surely not, Princess. The Lady Ayeka's own ship is rooted on the Earth, isn't that right?"

"Father told her she could use any of his fleet, now she was going to be the Crown Princess." Sasami sobbed. "Kamadake, I saw her! I know she's gone, I just know it! She's gone to the Earth and Father is going to be so cross and everything is going to go wrong, I just _know_ it! I'm frightened...what will happen to Jurai if Ayeka isn't here?"

"Then we must go and get her back, Princess." Azaka said decidedly. "Come. We'll bring her back to Jurai and speak with her - explain that it's not a good time for her to leave the planet. Not with her wedding so close."

"But don't you see? That's why she's gone!" Sasami exclaimed, as Kamadake reached for the young girl's cloak, fastening it around her shoulders then taking her by the hand. "She's gone to see Tenchi, I just know she has. She doesn't want to marry Takeru...she's still in love with Tenchi and she's going to get herself into so much trouble if Father finds out about this!"

"Don't worry, Princess. We'll make her turn back." Azaka assured her. "Nothing will happen to her, not while we're around to stop it."

"But how will we get to her?" Sasami looked helpless. "My ship crashed on the Earth too, remember? I don't have a spaceship either, Azaka."

"Desperate times call for desperate measures." Azaka said firmly. "Your sister borrowed one from your father and so, I fear, must we, Princess Sasami. Come on. The sooner we go, the sooner we can turn her back without anyone else finding out. She can't have left Jurai space jurisdiction yet, and we can catch her if we hurry."

"I hope you're right." Sasami looked anxious, as she allowed the two knights to lead her out of the chamber and down the hallway towards the main steps. "When Ayeka gets it into her head to do something, it's really hard to change her mind!"


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

"Well well."

The man sat back in his seat, folding his hands contemplatively over his stomach as he considered his next move. "I have to admit, Karasu, the girl is being remarkably helpful to us, don't you agree? Here I have been, trying to plot my way around that wretched Juraian security network and I find I have been wasting my time all along. The Princess Ayeka is no longer on the planet Jurai. This is good news indeed. Much more simple. Much more effective."

Karasu's monitor flickered into life, coordinates flashing in the corner of the screen as the ship plotted the location of Ayeka's vessel. The man watched carefully as the numbers faltered, then stabilised, and Karasu's main boosters came to life. He nodded his head.

"You need very little encouragement from me, old friend." He observed. "My spirit drives you, just like your life energy preserved me. You want to succeed as much as I do, I can feel it with every breath that I take. And this time we will succeed, Karasu. All that I can find tells me that the Galaxy Police is a shadow of it's former self...rebuilding and unstable. They will be too busy with their own petty affairs to bother me too much. And after assimilating with you, there is little they can do to hurt me again. I'm stronger and wiser, and you are sharper and sleeker. We're more than a match for those pesky Juraian lapdogs now. It should be an easy matter to offer up our trade...Juraiain meat for Juraian magic...a simple yet effective swap."

Another picture flashed onto Karasu's screen, and the man's smile widened.

"We are close now." He murmured. "I should prepare myself to welcome our guest aboard. After all, she won't be able to resist the power of Haki. Not when I've made up my mind to take her at all costs."

"I'm frightened, Azaka."

Sasami gazed out across the expanse of space, gripping tightly onto the branch of the ship's tree as she did so. "I don't know where we're going and I don't see Ayeka's ship anywhere. We don't even know what that ship is called or if we can find her. Where is she? Why can't we see her?"

"You said she was heading to Earth, Princess. Are you quite sure that is her destination?"

"Yes. Quite sure." Sasami nodded her head.

"Then perhaps we should set a course there as well. It might be that we can cut her off before she reaches the planet...but if not, we will be able to pick her up once we arrive there." Azaka suggested. "It is a long trip, Sasami-denka, but this ship is swifter than any your lord father possesses. It's said that the tree that controls this ship is Tsunami herself...if Ayeka truly has made it to Earth, well, we will catch up to her in record time."

Determination flared in Sasami's crimson eyes, and she nodded again.

"All right." She said decidedly. "Then we set a course for planet Earth, right away! Do you hear me, ship? I am Princess Sasami of the Royal House of Jurai and I need your help to stop my sister Ayeka from doing something really stupid. Will you help me to find her and bring her back home?"

The ship roared into life, picking up pace across the glittering sky and Kamadake offered the young princess a grin.

"Your father would be proud of you." He remarked. "It's no mean feat to take command of a ship that's not your own."

"I've flown in Ryo Ohki and Yagami before, and Ayeka's Ryu Oh." Sasami said frankly. "And anyway, Azaka said this ship is controlled by our family's tree, Tsunami - the Tree of Life. She always comes to our family's aid, no matter what the circumstance. Father told me that she's the magic force which originally spawned you two into being, to protect the children of Jurai's royal house. I trust her and I know she will help us."

"Princess Sasami, I see a ship off the port bow!" Azaka exclaimed, raising a finger to point. "See there! Is it the ship the Lady Ayeka left Jurai on?"

"I can't see." Sasami squinted at the screen. "Ship, can you bring it into clearer focus? I only caught a glimpse of the spaceship leaving Jurai and it was dark. I'm not sure."

"We can try and make contact with the craft, Princess." Kamadake suggested, but Sasami shook her head.

"No. If it's not Ayeka's ship, they will be wondering why I'm out and about like this and why you've left your posts at the palace." She said simply. "I want to be sure before we open communication channels. I don't want to get her into trouble and I don't want to be told off myself!"

"Princess Sasami, I think there are two vessels drawing alongside us, some distance to the left." Kamadake said with a frown, his brows drawing together as he tried to make out the second shape. "At least, I think it's a ship. It's so dark, it's hard to see it clearly...but it seems to be drawing in on the first."

"A dark ship?" Sasami looked confused, then horror flooded her expression. "Oh! What if Ayeka is in trouble? That is the ship she left on, I'm sure of it now - the lighter ship is Ayeka's ship. But where did the other one come from? It wasn't there before. And why is it so dark? I don't like this at all! I'm going to have to talk to her, Kamadake - I'm going to have to tell her to go home before she gets us both into a heap of trouble!"

She ran her fingers down the tree's substantial trunk, and the ship's communication screen flickered into life, connecting with the other ship.

"Sasami!" Ayeka's startled voice came over the link, a mixture of guilt and surprise in her tones. "What are you doing?"

"What am _I_ doing? Ayeka, you're going to get into so much trouble!" Sasami put her hands on her hips. "Father is going to be so mad when he finds out you've run away again!"

"I'm not running away, Sasami." Ayeka shook her head. "Go back to Jurai. I'll be back shortly, I promise. I'm only taking a trip...a trip to clear my head. That's all. I'm not abandoning Jurai. You have my word."

"You're going to see Tenchi, aren't you?" Sasami's voice was accusatory, and a faint blush rose in Ayeka's cheeks.

"Maybe." She admitted.

"Ayeka, you're engaged to Takeru!"

"I know that!" Ayeka exclaimed. "I have honour, Sasami! I know how to act. I only want to speak to him, that's all. Nothing more. I promise, I'll be home by morning. Go back. If Mother and Father discover we're both missing, they'll be alarmed."

"Ayeka..."

"Go home, Sasami." Ayeka shook her head. "I'll see you in the morning. Trust me, all right? I know what I'm doing. And besides, I'm not just going to see Tenchi. I'm going to collect a branch or seed from Ryu Oh's tree, too. You have to realise how important that is to me."

Sasami sighed, but nodded her head.

"All right." She said quietly. "But you swear you'll come right back? Ayeka, you know what Father said about this wedding and about Jurai!"

"I promise." Ayeka agreed solemnly. "I...hang on a minute, Sasami. I have another incoming signal. Go home, all right? Sleep tight. It's all all right. I'll see you..."

The screen blinked, and the connection flickered out, leaving the bay of Sasami's vessel in darkness.

"Ayeka?" Sasami frowned. "Ayeka? I can't get her back!"

"Shall we move in, Sasami-dono?" Azaka asked. "It must be the other ship, making contact with her."

Sasami hesitated, then nodded her head.

"Yes. We must." She said anxiously. "Whatever that other ship is, it scares me. I don't like how dark and creepy it is and we can't let it hurt Ayeka. Oh, I knew she shouldn't have left Jurai!"

She put the palm of her hand firmly on the trunk of Tsunami's tree, glancing up at the branches.

"If you are the strongest, most powerful tree in Jurai, please help us get to Ayeka." She begged. "Please, Tsunami. If you are in there, help us."

The craft picked up speed a second time, gaining on the pale Juraian ship and it's dark companion in a matter of seconds. As they pulled alongside Ayeka's craft, Sasami saw the ebony ship pull back, barely visible in the darkness of the sky itself. Before she could react, a red ball of flame shot out of the blackness, followed by another and then another. Startled, the young princess ordered the ship to pull back, and as she did so, the bolts of fire illuminated the patterning on the side of the craft. An elaborate bird's wing became momentarily visible, then once more the vessel was cloaked in darkness.

"A bird's wing!" She exclaimed. "Did you see it? I've never seen a ship like it before...what is it!"

"Princess, take cover! Let the ship's cannons protect you!" Azaka urged, but Sasami clung to the tree, shaking her head.

"We can't shoot, what about Ayeka's ship?" She demanded, as her vessel lurched and swayed beneath her feet, struggling to evade the potent blasts from the unknown assailant. "We might hurt her...she might be killed! Azaka, what can we do?"

"Princess Sasami, look out!" Kamadake yelled, and Sasami glanced up, seeing a firebolt heading straight for the centre of the ship. She let out a scream of terror, clinging more tightly to the tree and closing her eyes.

"I want to go home!" She sobbed. "I want to go home!"

"Princess Sasami!" Azaka exclaimed, as the entirety of her world seemed to explode in a giant ball of light. Then, as quickly as it had come, the light was gone, and slowly blackness enveloped her.

"_Sasami!"_

Aboard Karasu, Ayeka let out a shriek of dismay, struggling fiercely against the tight bonds that had been looped cruelly around her hands and her feet. "You monster, what have you done to my sister!"

"Quiet, Princess." Haki stood over her, running a cold finger down her cheek and making her shiver. "She shouldn't have encroached on my business. Her ship is intact, if battered. She'll make it home, no doubt. Either way, I have no interest in her. She is powerless...just another offshoot of the Jurai family tree. You, on the other hand, are exactly what I need to set my plan into motion."

"What do you want? Why have you brought me here?" Ayeka fought again, but it was no use, and she sank back against the floor in defeat. "Don't you think sneaking up on a girl whilst she's sleeping is ungentlemanlike? Honestly...do you have no manners at all? And tying me up? Who are you, anyway, and what makes you think you can treat a Juraian princess like this?"

"A Juraian Princess who strayed a little far from Daddy's coat tails." Haki spoke mockingly. "My name is Haki, Miss Ayeka. And my interest is not so much in you, but in what I can get for you at, shall we say, market prices? Though you're not much in real life. I have to say that Karasu painted a much prettier picture."

"How dare you!" Ayeka was enraged, but Haki let out a low chuckle. He shook his head, tut-tutting.

"Now now. You're forgetting your manners." He told her softly. "Don't worry. I don't plan on killing you - at least, not yet. If that had been my plan, I would have done it by now. No, Ayeka, I have you for a quite different reason. Your family have something...something that they stole from me a long, long time ago with the help of that confounded Galaxy Police. And I want them back...through fair means or foul. You are the bait...nothing more. I figure they'd give quite a lot to have their precious Crown Princess returned to them in time for her wedding day."

"Monster!" Ayeka struggled again. "My family are not common criminals! They do not steal other people's belongings!"

"No, they just think they own the world." Haki said pensively. "And maybe they do - but they don't own me. Three gemstones, Ayeka. You must have heard of them. Seen them, even. Three stones that contain elements of the most powerful magic known in this universe. Juraian magic. Strong enough to subdue and conquer...strong enough to rule supreme."

"You're crazy!" Ayeka exclaimed. "There are no such things! The gems are only legend - they do not exist! And besides, only the Royal House of Jurai can wield the Jurai Power! I very much doubt that you are part of my family!"

"No, thankfully I'm not." Haki admitted. "But I am a very powerful space pirate, Ayeka."

"A space pirate?" Ayeka's eyes opened wide. "Is this Ryoko's doing? Did she send you?"

"Ryoko?" Haki blinked, then burst out laughing. "Oh, my dear, you must be joking. Ryoko...give _me_ orders? I highly doubt that would ever happen. Whatever brand of villainy she peddles these days, I assure you she has little or nothing to do with my current quest. Ryoko indeed. You must learn to think wider. Think bigger, Ayeka. I am Haki...perhaps you are too young to remember my reputation, or maybe - maybe your protected little planet shielded you from the true horrors of real wanted criminals. Either way, I have been out of action for a long long time."

He sat back down, crossing his arms over his chest as he surveyed her, bound and tousled on the floor.

"You know, having said all that, you are an attractive catch. I may have to make use of that fact before I return you to your father." He mused aloud.

"You _dare_ touch me and I'll bite you!" Ayeka hissed. "Don't you know how to treat a lady?"

"Perhaps you could ask your friend Ryoko that." Haki seemed amused. "Pipe down, little princess. You obviously have no idea that you're talking to one of the greatest criminal masterminds of all time. And I would still be held in awe across the whole galaxy if it wasn't for those wretched police officers and their constant search for Juraian patronage. They attacked my ship, near killed me and burnt Karasu to a shell. They thought me dead, and they took from me the two gems I already had in my possession. I want them back and the third to complete the set. They're my right - I killed and plundered enough to take what I had before. And if not for Karasu's powers of regeneration, we would both have perished in their flames. I want my revenge, Ayeka. And I want those gems."

Ayeka stared at him for a moment, taking in the sharp blue eyes and the face hidden by a black gauzy kerchief. She frowned, biting her lip.

"You mean you enslaved your ship so you could keep living?" She demanded. "How can you be so selfish!"

"Not enslavement." Haki shook his head. "Karasu is a Phoenix and it's job was to regenerate itself and me alongside it. That's all. A newer, better, stronger incarnation of both of us. There are very few who will be able to challenge us now."

"Jurai will deal with you. They have magic that surpasses any witchcraft you and your ship might practice!"

"Witchcraft, is it?" Haki laughed. "Very well. So long as I get those gems, I don't really mind what you call it, or what you think of me. I am strong enough to master their power now, Ayeka - strong in ways I never was before. This time it will be different."

"What makes you think Jurai will give in to your ransom demand anyway?" Ayeka retorted. "Maybe they won't."

"You better hope they will." Haki stood, bending over her and bringing his face close enough to hers that she could feel his breath on her cheek. She flinched away, and he smiled.

"If they are not cooperative, I will kill you and eject your corpse into deep space." He said quietly. "So they had better think to pay this ransom demand. Or else their precious Crown Princess will be no more!"


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six**

"Detective Kiyone."

Kiyone stood before her supervisor's very new blue desk, folding her hands absently behind her back as she awaited his orders. Ten minutes earlier, an alert had been sent through the Galaxy Police accomodation complex and, her conscience pricking her over her frequent visits to Level 9, she eyed his expression with trepidation. 

"Yes, sir?" She managed, keeping her tones pleasant and interested. "Do you have an assignment for me?"

"I fear so."

The man gestured to an empty chair, and, relief flooding through her, Kiyone sank into it. "You are aware, of course, that yourself and Detective Mihoshi are among some of the most experienced Galaxy Police Officers we still have serving in the Force."

"Yes, sir. How may I be of service this time?"

The chief looked grave.

"Tell me, Kiyone, did you ever encounter a man named Haki in all your travels and endeavours around Deep Space?"

"Haki?" Kiyone stared, then shook her head. "I'm afraid I don't know his name at all, sir. Should I?"

"Ah well. It was a long shot." Her companion pursed his lips. "It has been many years, after all."

He folded his arms across his desk, tapping idly on the immaculately clean surface.

"Haki was a space pirate and a vicious one." He said quietly. "One that the Galaxy Police hunted down and - it was believed - killed in combat. Certainly no body was found, but his ship Karasu was burnt to a shell and no trace was found. Since then, there has been no indication of any activity on his part - so in their wisdom, Central Command saw fit to retire his file to Archive. He was dead, after all. No point in taking up a slot in the Most Wanted column if he was already taken care of."

"I see." Kiyone's mind whirled. "But if he was killed...where does that bring me in?"

"Late last night, the Emperor of Jurai received a video message." Her supervisor said simply. "From a man calling himself Haki. He claims to have taken the Princess Ayeka a captive, and is demanding a hefty ransom for her safe return. We have no images of Haki on file, Detective...you have to understand that nobody ever saw his face, he always kept it covered to shield himself from capture. But we ran his voice print over the few surviving files we had of Haki's voice waves - snippets reported at outposts across the universe during the campaign to hunt him down."

He hesitated, then,

"It was a clear match."

"What?" Kiyone's eyes became big with shock. "And he's kidnapped Princess Ayeka? But why? What does he want? Money?"

"No. Something else...something infinitely more alarming." The supervisor shook his head, reaching across to press a button. "Here. See his message for yourself, Detective. I know you are known to the Princess Ayeka. That is another reason why I want to bring you in on this case...I hope that you might be able to use that insider knowledge to your advantage."

Kiyone nodded her head, glancing up at the big overhead screen that had dropped down from it's storage place, flashing into life. A grainy image of a man materialised on the screen, his dark hair tied back from his face and a pair of mesmerising blue eyes staring out coldly from above a rough black kerchief. Despite herself, she shivered at the look in their icy depths. Here was a man like few men she'd ever encountered - a man with no compunction about committing the gravest of crimes.

"It's been a long time, Azusa-heika." The man's voice was mocking, almost playful. "I've some news for you about your precious Crown Princess. Are you wondering where she is right now? I bet you are. Well, you can call off the search party - you'll never find her. She's here with me...and I'm not in the mood to return her any time soon. Listen to me, Azusa, and listen good. My name is Haki - you can't tell me you've forgotten that name so easily? Call me a ghost, call me back from the dead...call me what you like - but it's me and I'm in deadly earnest. I want the gems you stole from me and the Dark Heart of Jurai to complete the set. I want them and I want them soon - nothing less will buy back your precious princess's life."

There was a pause, then he leant closer to the screen.

"And in case you think this is a hoax..." He said slowly, "Don't. If you fail to cooperate, I will kill the Lady Ayeka and scatter her remains around Deep Space for all eternity. Don't believe me? Take a look for yourself."

An image of a bound Ayeka flickered onto the screen, then was gone.

"I don't bluff." The man's voice held an ominous note. "Return to me what's mine and I'll return to you what's yours."

The message cut off abruptly at that moment, and Kiyone raised troubled eyes to her companion.

"Poor Ayeka." She said softly. "She looked so afraid."

"Yes, and I fear she has good reason to be." The chief rubbed his temples. "I've been browsing Haki's file and it doesn't make pleasant reading. Multiple, _multiple_ counts of murder and mutilation have been levelled at his door. If he can kill, he will - whether it's necessary or not."

"And these gems?"

"I've spoken to a contact on Jurai. They contain a form of the Juraian magic - powerful enough to cause a schism in the universal axis if given into the wrong hands." The chief bit his lip. "So our brief is clear. We must find the Princess and rescue her from this Haki's custody...before he harms her and without relinquishing to him any of the gemstones."

"A tall order, sir."

"Yes, Kiyone, I know." The man sighed heavily. "And I'm loath to send out my best officers, knowing as I do how much we rely on you to train and educate the new recruits. This is a very dangerous mission, and I fear very much that we will take losses. But...I think I have no choice. You and Mihoshi have both served the Galaxy Police well over the years. I have faith in you both and I will be including you in this mission. I suggest you read through Haki's file and discover what you can about him. However he survived our onslaught, I believe he really does have the Princess Ayeka prisoner, and we would be foolish not to take him at his word."

"Yes, sir." Kiyone got to her feet, proffering a smart salute. "I'll do so right away."

"Good girl." The chief managed a slight smile. "I have great hopes of you, Detective Kiyone. One day, you will no doubt find yourself in my position, and then I hope you'll have someone as dedicated and diligent to fall back on as I do you when this kind of situation arises."

Kiyone flushed red at the praise.

"Thank you, sir." She said softly. "And Mihoshi and I - we'll do our best to do whatever we can to recover the Princess. You know we will."

"I do." The man nodded. "Oh, Kiyone?"

"Yes, sir?"

"There is one other thing I failed to mention." The chief looked troubled. "The Princess Sasami is also missing, along with the royal bodyguards Azaka and Kamadake. Nobody seems to know their whereabouts...and since Haki has not claimed them among his captives, I fear they may have come to some harm. If you happen to discover anything..."

"I understand." Kiyone's expression softened. "And I'll do my best."

"Princess Sasami?"

Sasami's eyes flickered open, and for a moment her surroundings blurred and swayed around her. She quickly closed them again, struggling to find her bearings. Everything around her seemed too bright, and as she tried to bring her world into focus, she raised a hand to her head, attempting to sit up.

"Princess, are you all right?"

That was Azaka, she realised, opening her eyes and meeting the concerned gaze of the elder knight of Jurai. She nodded her head gingerly, wincing as the pain ricocheted around her bruised skull.

"I think so." She said softly. "What happened, Azaka? Where are we? Why aren't I at home?"

"We came to find the Princess Ayeka." Azaka reminded her. "And we did, but then an alien ship fired on us and I feared you'd been hit. You certainly fell to the deck as though you had been - I'm relieved you're all right."

Sasami hugged the knight clumsily, allowing him to help her to her feet.

"I think I'm all right." She agreed. "I must have just fallen down. But is the ship damaged?"

"No significant damage, my lady." Kamadake shook his head. "In fact, it seems to have sustained less shock than you from the impact. I think that the tree prevented you from being more seriously hurt...there is a scorch mark across the branches, but nothing more severe."

"And Ayeka?"

"We've been unable to re-open communications with Princess Ayeka's ship." Kamadake became grave. "While Azaka attended to you,Princess Sasami, I transferred to her vessel, but there was no sign of her. There were signs of a struggle...but Ayeka-dono was nowhere to be found."

"A struggle?" Sasami opened her eyes wide. "That other ship! I knew it was a bad one, Kamadake - but where did it go? Is it still in our line of sight? Or...oww..."

She put a hand to her head, stumbling slightly, and gently Azaka coaxed her back down onto the bed.

"Rest, Princess." He said softly. "The other ship is long gone...we can't trace it. And our ship's communications are completely dead - there's no way of raising contact with Jurai to let them know what's happened. The best thing we can do is return there and tell them what we know. Someone can tend to your poor head and then we can organise a proper search for Ayeka."

"But..."

"Princess Sasami, you're hurt and we don't have any way of locking onto Ayeka's position." Kamadake pointed out. "Our safest bet is to return to Jurai and speak to your Father. He will have some suggestion, surely, as to our next plan of action."

"Meanwhile whoever took Ayeka is getting away." Sasami looked stubborn. "No. I am Princess of Jurai and I'm going to decide. We're not going back to Jurai right now. We're going to find Ayeka somehow - I don't know how, but we are."

"But my lady..."

_"No,_ Azaka." Sasami shook her head, sending her blue bunches swinging. "You said this ship was built from the Tree of Life - from Tsunami. Right?"

"Yes, but..."

"So it can repair itself, and we don't need to return to Jurai for that?"

"True, however...

"And it is the fastest ship in my father's fleet...yes?"

"It is..."

"So none of the others will be able to catch up to whoever took her as easily as we will."

Sasami folded her arms. "Tsunami will repair her own communications...and in the meantime, we're going to try and help Ayeka."

"You called the ship Tsunami." Kamadake looked confused. "My lady, Tsunami is the tree, not the ship. You're confused...maybe the blow to the head..."

"I'm not confused." Sasami said frankly. "I'm fine. Just a little achey. And Tsunami is the ship's name..she told me so herself."

She turned a smile on him, taking in his bemused grin.

"I'm not concussed." She assured him. "And I don't want to fight whoever took Ayeka on my own, Kamadake. But I do know someone who can help us."

"Who's that, Princess?" Azaka asked softly. Sasami spread her hands.

"Lord Tenchi." She said simply. "We're already heading towards the Earth - and if anyone can help Ayeka, it's him!"

"So run this by me again, Kiyone?"

Mihoshi squinted at the picture on the screen, her brows knitting in confusion as she struggled to take in her companion's words. "This guy was killed by the Galaxy Police, only now he's alive again and he's kidnapped Ayeka?"

"Yeah, something like that." Kiyone shot her colleague a weary look, then nodded her head. "Either way, he's got her and it's our job to go and find her."

"Well, then what are we waiting for?" Mihoshi wondered. "We have to help Ayeka, don't we?"

"Yes." Kiyone agreed. "But he's dangerous, Mihoshi. Really dangerous. He's got a rap sheet as long as my arm and longer for past violent crimes. I'm telling you, this is a serious class A criminal and a half we're dealing with here. I've been going over this record of his on Yagami's computer for the past hour and I've still not waded through everything. We need to know everything we can about him before we wade right in."

"Dangerous?" Mihoshi whitened. "Kiyone, are you sure we want to do this mission? I mean, it sounds awfully, well...scary."

"But we're Galaxy Police, Mihoshi, and the chief is counting on us. So is Ayeka, wherever she is." Kiyone bit her lip. "We may be all she has to rely on, so we can't let her down. All right? Ayeka is your friend as well as mine...don't you want to help her out?"

"Yes." Mihoshi nodded her head. "But I don't want to get killed, Kiyone. Especially not by a dead guy who's not dead any more."

"Well, I don't really like it either." Kiyone owned. "But with any luck we won't have to go that far. We'll find a way to capture him and release the princess. Knowledge is power, after all."

She sighed.

"I wish I could remember who said that."

"You did." Mihoshi looked bewildered. "Just now. Geez, Kiyone, are you sure you're feeling all right?"

Kiyone groaned, rubbing her temples.

"Sometimes I seriously wonder about that." She muttered, turning her gaze back to the screen. "God help Ayeka if we're the best hope she has."

"Hey, this guy is a friend of Ryoko's?"

Mihoshi's words jerked her back to herself and she stared at her friend.

"What do you mean, Ryoko's friend? Mihoshi, just because he's a space pirate...what makes you think he's anything to do with Ryoko?"

"Because it says so." Mihoshi pointed to the screen. "Right there. Look. See? Ryoko knows him. Maybe she can help us find him."

"Ryoko is a confined prisoner, Mihoshi. Do you think they're going to let her out to roam the galaxy looking for other wanted criminals?" Kiyone raised an eyebrow.

Mihoshi shrugged her shoulders.

"We could ask her." She suggested, in her usual happy-go-lucky way. "She might help."

"Mihoshi..." Kiyone began, then she hesitated, reading over the passage that her friend had indicated. "You know, that might not be as crazy as I first thought. I mean, sometimes they do parole prisoners early, don't they? If they have information. And this is a high profile case...why not? What could it hurt to ask? I mean, if Ryoko really does know this Haki guy...perhaps you're not mad after all, Mihoshi. Maybe you've had a good idea for once."

"Wow, really?" Mihoshi looked surprised. Kiyone nodded.

"Stay here." She instructed. "I'm going to speak to the chief."


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven**

"Kiyone, that is my final decision."

The chief sat down heavily in his seat, shaking his head as he regarded his top detective with a frown. "I must admit I'm surprised at you even asking. Release a criminal of Ryoko's standing and reputation...just because once she was associated with the man we're hunting down? More than likely you'd send her straight back into his company and make our decision doubly difficult. I know how these people act...I'm astonished that that thought hasn't crossed your mind, also."

"Well, I've had something to do with Ryoko since her arrest." Kiyone fidgeted uneasily in her chair. "Sir, I'd assume responsibility for her...I'd ensure that she didn't leave the custody of Yagami. Since her sentencing, she's been a model prisoner. I don't see the harm in..."

"A model prisoner, huh?"

The chief's expression darkened, and he reached across his desk, scooping up a piece of paper. "Here. Read this. Maybe you'll change your mind when you have."

He dropped it down in front of her and Kiyone scooped it up, glancing over it then staring up at her supervisor in surprise.

"Isolation? Basic rations? But why?"

"Read on." The chief's voice was grim. "That should explain once and for all why I'm deeply unhappy about the idea of a prisoner like Ryoko ever tasting freedom. She had far too much of it and we saw what she was capable of when she did, Detective. You know that when she was sentenced, she had no remorse for her past crimes. All she did at her own hearing was make threats against any space officials who dared attack the solar system - as if it was a Galaxy Police tactic to raid and pillage the landscape like common criminals. No, Kiyone. You must see why the idea is a crazy one."

"Attacking a fellow prisoner in the onsen?" Kiyone chewed on her lip. "And what of her fellow combatant, sir? Ryoko is hot tempered and impulsive - we've all seen that. But something must have happened...I mean...she's been so well behaved, and..."

"Kiyone, I almost suspect a personal interest in this prisoner Ryoko." The chief's voice became dangerously low and Kiyone blushed, shaking her head as she set the sheet of paper down.

"No sir. I'm just surprised, that's all." She said carefully. "I thought...well, I thought she had more sense."

"Someone who chooses a life of crime has very little sense to begin with." The supervisor said pointedly. "And to answer your question, Prisoner Nakumi is in the Medical Unit. She suffered bruising and some damage - particularly to the throat. She's a nasty piece of work, I won't deny that - but if the guards hadn't interfered, well, it might have been worse. From the reports I've received, Ryoko was poised to strangle her when they intervened."

"I see." Kiyone's eyes became shadowed. "That does cause a complication."

She paused, then got to her feet, offering a formal salute to her superior as she did so.

"I'm sorry to waste your time, sir." She said softly. "I will return to Yagami and review the matter further with Detective Mihoshi."

"Yes, do that." The chief nodded his head, retrieving his file. "We have little time to lose. We've received no word on either the Princess Ayeka or the Princess Sasami since the ransom demand was sent to Jurai, but patrol ships did pick up Karasu's trail late last night."

He paused ominously, then,

"All units that proceeded to track him were destroyed." He added gravely. "There were no survivors. Take care, Detective Kiyone. We can't afford to take such losses again."

Kiyone eyed him in troubled silence for a moment. Then she turned on her heel, leaving the office and shutting the sliding door behind her, pausing for a moment outside as she gathered her senses. Absently she wondered if any of the killed officers were men and women she knew.

"No, I mustn't think of that." She berated herself aloud, hurrying away from the senior corridor and back towards the docking bay where Yagami was waiting. "I have to think how Mihoshi and I are going to track down this Haki character and rescue Ayeka before there is any more bloodshed. No kidding that this is a major league mission...damn you, Ryoko! Why did you have to go pick a fight in the bath-house today of all days? Now there's no way the chief will ever sanction your early release!"

She sighed, pausing at the entrance to Docking Bay 17. Mihoshi stood by the railings, raising her hand in a wave as she approached.

"Well? What did the chief say?" She demanded. "What are we doing, Kiyone?"

Kiyone bit down hard on her lip, tasting blood as she did so. In a moment, she made up her mind.

"Get aboard Yagami and wait there until I get back." She said softly. "Don't ask questions, Mihoshi - just trust me, all right? Don't take off until I get back, but be ready to do so at a moment's notice. Whatever the situation. I...I think I'm going to do something that I'll probably regret, and I at least want a good chance of getting away with it."

Mihoshi's eyes became big at this.

"Kiyone?"

"Just do it, all right?" Kiyone pleaded. "I haven't time to explain...just have Yagami ready. All right? I won't be long."

Mihoshi paused, then nodded her head.

"I'll be ready. You can count on me, Kiyone." She promised. "I'll be here."

She turned, almost tripping over her feet as she hurried back aboard the red ship and Kiyone groaned, rubbing her temples.

"Heaven help me." She said aloud. "I can't believe I'm even thinking this way, but in the circumstances...what else can I do?"

It was a warm, sunshiny day.

Tenchi settled himself more comfortably on his perch, chewing on the end of his paintbrush as he glanced out across the landscape of the mountains. A slight smile touched his lips as he surveyed the bevy of colours that spread out before him, flowers and trees in the south and fields and peaks to the north. He loved this land like nowhere else he'd ever been, he realised. Wherever he travelled, this would always be his home.

"It's strange to think that, since I've been missing people so badly." He mused, dipping his brush in the water and then selecting a delicate green as he began to paint in a tree on his sketch. "But I guess what I told Ayeka is still true. Jurai could never be a home to me. This is my world. When I battled Kagato, I only had the edge when my world overshadowed his. This is my world...I just have to get used to the fact they all come from different worlds. And that might mean I don't see them again."

He frowned, examining his painting critically. Art had never called to him so strongly when he had been younger, but in recent years he had become almost obsessive about his sketches and his paints, and few knew that, in the hidden depths of his bedroom he kept a sketchpad detailing the likenesses of all of his extra-terrestrial guests. Glancing out across the sky, he could almost imagine Ryoko flitting in and out of visibility, flying across the landscape as she evaded the household chores. If he really thought hard about it, he could hear Ayeka calling for her sister, and Sasami's bright bubbly laughter...

He paused, his frown deepening.

No...he hadn't been imagining it. That had sounded a lot like Sasami's laugh.

"But that's not possible." He muttered, turning his attention back to the sketch before him. "Sasami is on Jurai with Ayeka and..."

"Tenchiiiiii!"

The shriek was unmistakeable this time and he swung around, seeing the familiar figure of the younger Jurai princess hurrying towards him. With a squeal she flung herself at him with little regard for the paint and Tenchi tossed his image aside with equal lack of care, returning the hug with a warm one of his own.

"Sasami!" He exclaimed. "What are you doing here...I thought I was dreaming when I heard your laugh!"

"No, I'm real." Sasami informed him unecessarily. "Oh Tenchi, it seems like it's been the longest ever time since we were here, you know!"

"It's been three years - three and a half, actually, Earth time." Tenchi told her. "But I thought your father said you had to go back to Jurai - why are you here? Is Ayeka with you? You can't tell me you're here all alone!"

"Ayeka is why I'm here, Tenchi." The light died in Sasami's pretty eyes at the mention of her sister's name. "And Azaka and Kamadake are with me. They flew with me on one of my father's ships...we came to find you. Tenchi, I need your help. We need your help...something terrible has happened to Ayeka and you are the only person I know to go to!"

Tears sprang into the crimson eyes, and Tenchi hugged her tightly again.

"Tell me what happened." He said softly, as the two knights entered the clearing, making formal bows to Tenchi as they saw him.

"Lord Tenchi, the Lady Ayeka requires your assistance." Kamadake said gravely. 

"She's been kidnapped by some horrible creature in a black ship and we don't know where he's taken her." Sasami added. "He attacked our ship too, but Tsunami is a strong spaceship and he didn't damage her much. We flew here because we needed your help to get Ayeka back - but I never saw a ship like this one before. It was all dark and it had a bird's wing imprinted on the side. Maybe a whole bird...I don't know. It was like it could disappear into the darkness of space...almost like a ghost. And when Kamadake went to Ayeka's ship to find her, she was completely gone."

"I see." Tenchi bit his lip, glancing down at his paints, then getting to his feet.

"All right." He added. "Let me go get the sword. Where is your ship?"

"Not far from here. A few yards from the shrine, hidden by the trees." Azaka answered. "Lord Tenchi, I fear we must make as much haste as possible. Tsunami's communication device has been damaged in the encounter with this black ship and though she has regenerative capabilities, they're taking time. We have not yet managed to contact Jurai. Nobody there knows where Princess Sasami is either."

"Then I will be as quick as I can." Tenchi promised. "I'll grab the sword and meet you at the ship."

He looked rueful.

"I'm rusty...it's been a long time since I practiced any kind of Jurai battle techniques. Too busy with school." He added. "But I'll do my best to help Ayeka. You know that I will."

"I knew we could count on you, Lord Tenchi." Sasami hugged him again. "Thank you! Now you're coming back with us, I know my sister is going to be just fine!"

Ryoko stretched out on her makeshift pallet, attempting to get comfortable as she fidgeted and shuffled her slim form around the hard bed. She raised her gaze to the window, catching sight of a shooting star in the distance and despite herself she bit her lip. Such beauties were best seen close up, she knew that. Once she had ridden almost in the tail of a comet, adrenalin surging through her as she had battled from one side of the streaming ice gas to the other. Ryo Ohki had been cross with her for days afterwards, but the rush had been worth it. She sighed.

Those days were long ago now. Absently she wondered where her small companion was being held. That she had been confined was all the pirate knew, but she was sure it was somewhere as cold and soulless as her own drab prison cell.

Life had certainly hit an all time low.

"Ryoko!"

The familar hiss from outside the cage distracted her from her thoughts and she groaned, rolling off the pallet onto the floor and curling herself into a seated position as she made out Kiyone's features through the blur of the forcefield. She folded her arms across her chest.

"More sake?" She asked quietly. "Are you trying to drink me into submission, Kiyone?"

"No, that's not why I'm here."

Kiyone's voice drew closer and Ryoko could tell her companion was only inches away from the electrified forcefield. "Come to the edge, Ryoko. I don't want anyone else to overhear."

"Fine." Reluctantly Ryoko shuffled towards the edge of the cell, leaning back on her hands as she did so. "What is it this time? You do know that I'm supposed to be in isolation, I suppose? I guess even that chief who's ass you've been kissing wouldn't be impressed if he knew you were doing double shift in the naughty corner."

"Yes, and that's another thing I want to take up with you!"

"If you're going to give me a lecture about fighting in the bath-house, it wasn't me who started it." Ryoko sighed, looking weary. "Of course I'm going to defend myself if some lamebrained convict decides to take a swing at me. What do you take me for? Just because I don't have my powers doesn't mean I can't put up a decent fight."

"That prisoner is in the medical unit because of this morning's incident." Kiyone said darkly. "And because of it, you've made my life a lot more complicated, Ryoko!"

"Gee. I'm so sorry. It's not like you've made mine a whole lot easier either, of late." Ryoko said sarcastically. "You imagine taking your baths in a poky little room surrounded by sweaty, dirty inmates and guards who just want to gawk at you. You see what kind of a mood it puts you in - if you want the truth, I've been needing to let off steam for a while."

She clenched her fists.

"I'm going a little bit stir crazy, clamped down like a caged animal in this dump."

"Ryoko, this morning I went to speak to the chief about your case." Kiyone said impatiently. "I asked them whether the current circumstances could see to giving you an early parole...that you've been a model prisoner since you were incarcerated and that you might just be able to help us solve another case. It might have worked, too. But the chief had had a report already about the bath-house and he said there was no way in hell he was authorising your release...not even into my protective custody."

Ryoko's brows drew together.

"Kiyone, you must be living in fairyland." She said bluntly. "There's no way your chief would let me out, period. I'm his big publicity catch, as you keep reminding me. Why do you think he'd ever even consider it?"

"Because we received a report from Jurai that the Princess Ayeka has been taken hostage by a rogue space criminal." Kiyone said darkly.

"Ayeka?" Ryoko raised her eyebrow. "Wow. She's real popular, isn't she? Are they going to kill her, or what?"

"They've issued a ransom demand." Kiyone shook her head. "Ryoko, the man who's taken her prisoner is called Haki...he's a space pirate, just like you. I called up his file on Yagami's computer. You knew him."

"Haki?" A chill touched Ryoko's heart as she echoed the man's name aloud, shaking her head. "No, that's not possible. It's not...Haki is dead. Long dead. It must be some other criminal."

"The ransom message has been verified as his voice print." Kiyone shook her head. "We thought him dead too, Ryoko. Shot down in Galaxy Police fire several years ago. But apparently that's not the case. Somehow he escaped, and fooled everyone in the process. We'd retired his file and stopped looking for him - but his ship, Karasu was spotted briefly by a patrol last night. They gave chase, but lost his trail. People...well, people were killed in the process. He's still out there and he has Ayeka prisoner."

"Well, it's a sob story, but I don't see what it has to do with me." Ryoko shrugged her shoulders. "I don't really care what happens to the Princess, Kiyone. You should know that."

"But you did know him."

"Once. Pirates tend to know one another...call it a sort of unofficial guild." Ryoko smirked. 

"Then you must have seen his face."

"Nobody sees Haki's face, unless he's going to kill them." Ryoko said quietly. Kiyone frowned.

"But you have, haven't you?" She asked softly. "You have seen his face."

Ryoko did not answer at first. She got to her feet, walking away from the partition, then pausing, turning her head.

"What do you want from me?"

"Your help in catching this criminal, of course."

"Why should I help you? For three years I've asked for your help and got nothing except the occasional bottle of alcohol."

"Because Ayeka's life might be at stake."

"I told you. I don't care about Ayeka or how much money it will take the Emperor to buy her back"

"Haki's ransom demand isn't money, Ryoko. It's gemstones." Kiyone spoke in tones barely above a whisper. "Three Juraian jewels that together contain elements of the Jurai Power. Two of them he claims were stolen from him by Galaxy Police when his ship was raided and - we thought - burnt out. Well, if the Galaxy Police did take them, it seems likely they were lost or scattered when Kain destroyed the old Headquarters. Certainly we've no record of any such gems being found."

She sighed.

"The third could be anywhere...it's almost legendary, and the most powerful of the three. If he had even one of those gems, he could wreak havoc on a lot of innocent lives. If he had possession of all three..."

"The Dark Heart." Ryoko murmured. Kiyone looked startled.

"Then you know what kind of destructive power these things could cause?" She asked. Ryoko nodded grimly.

"In the wrong hands, they could destroy the whole universe." She said flatly. "You, me and everything else. That was careless of the King of Jurai...losing his jewels like that."

"Now you know what's at stake, will you help us?"

"How can I?" Ryoko looked helpless. "I'm trapped in here. I have no powers. Do you think I would be still here if I had a choice? There's nothing I can do about Haki or any of this. Not while I'm in here. And sure as hell nothing I can tell you - I thought the man had died and good riddance to him, too. What else can I tell you? That's about it."

Kiyone was silent for a moment. Then she held up a flat metal key.

"And if I was to release you?" She asked, her voice rich with doubt. Ryoko's eyes widened.

"You?" She taunted. "Good girl Kiyone break out a prisoner? Say it isn't so!"

"Ryoko, dammit, we need your help!" Kiyone snapped. "Patrol officers have already died trying to track this man down and I don't want any more bloodshed if there's any way we can possibly prevent it. Ryoko, you gave yourself up to prevent bloodshed on one planet. Even if they were just police officials to you, they were people and colleagues to me. This can't go on, and if you can help...don't you realise that you could prevent more people from dying at this man's hands? Mihoshi has Yagami stationed around the back of the complex. I've told her to wait until I come aboard...but we don't have much time. As soon as patrols realise you're gone, I'm going to come under suspicion. Especially after my conversation with the chief earlier on. This is a big risk for both of us, but it can't work unless you cooperate with me as well."

Ryoko paused for a moment, then she held up her wrists, a mixture of hope and determination flickering in her eyes.

"Release me, then." She said quietly. "And I'll help you find Haki. If I can."

"Is that a promise?"

"You have my word."

"All right." Kiyone bit her lip, then pressed the small flat button on the key, watching as the silver cuffs clicked open and fell with a clatter to the cell floor. Ryoko rubbed her wrists, glancing down at the thin red lines the cuffs had left in her skin. She grimaced.

"I knew those things were too tight." She grumbled. "Now what? Can't you open the door?"

"I don't have clearance to." Kiyone shook her head. "Only my supervisor has the override code...security reasons. You'll have to get yourself out - you can teleport to Yagami, can't you? The field won't block your powers because the cuffs were designed to take care of that. Didn't you say once that you could teleport to a place you'd been before? You've been aboard Yagami enough in the past to teleport yourself there now...haven't you?"

"That's your brilliant plan?" Ryoko raised an eyebrow. She shook her hands, and a feeble flicker of gold light danced around her finger tips. "Some help you are!"

"Ryoko, we don't have time! I can hear people coming!" Panic laced Kiyone's tones and Ryoko frowned, closing her eyes. She shook her head.

"It's been three years. I'm rusty." She complained. "Give me a second to warm up first!"

"We don't have time for you to warm up! We're going to be caught any second!"

"Wait! I got it!" Ryoko's form flickered and blurred out of her cell, re-materialising on the other side, next to Kiyone. Before the officer could react, she had grabbed her companion firmly by the arms, flickering out of the cell complex and re-materialising them both aboard Yagami.

"What the hell did you do?" Kiyone put a hand to her head.

"Doesn't help me if you're caught...Yagami is your ship." Ryoko pointed out. "And we better get out of here...I can hear alarms sounding."

"Ryoko!" Mihoshi's excited squeal came from the control room and Kiyone sighed. "Oh, are you coming with us too? And Kiyone, you're back! Should we go now?"

"Yes, Mihoshi. Full speed away from Headquarters." Kiyone sank down into her chair. "Ryoko, you better keep your half of the bargain, I swear. If there wasn't so much at stake...but this is people's lives...one person in particular...and the fate of the universe we could be dealing with. We need your help."

"I keep my word. Mostly." Ryoko hovered down beside her, glancing out of the window at the speeding stars. Behind them, other Galaxy Police ships were massing, but Yagami was more than a match for them and kept a healthy distance. Kiyone looked relieved.

"Washu's upgrades helped in one sense at least, then." She murmured. 

"So now what?" Ryoko looked enquiring.

"Now we need to try and find Haki."

"Impossible." Ryoko shook her head.

"But you said..."

"I can't track something that I can't see...just like you can't." Ryoko pointed out. "Ryo Ohki could scent out Karasu, if she was here...she'd pick up the vapour trail for sure. But I don't have her and I don't know where she's being held."

"But I do." Kiyone reached across to press a button on Yagami's panel. "So rescuing Ryo Ohki is our next stop."


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight**

_The landscape was darkening by the second, as huge, engulfing clouds of smoke and ash rained down on the planet. Amid the screams of the fleeing people, fire and brimstone poured from the mountain's peak, like nothing they had ever seen before._

In three hundred thousand years, the volcano had always slept. Noone had ever seen it so angry, nor so vengeful. As it stole life after life, searing through crops and plantations and scalding the branches of the many Jurai trees, people clustered beneath Tsunami's soaring branches, praying and begging for the goddess to preserve them.

From the darkness came a clap of thunder, and then a shard of lightning stabbed down through the ash, splitting the sky in two. As the sun began to push it's rays through to the ground below, the volcano seemed to calm it's temper, rumbling and shaking no more as it settled back down to it's years of slumber. Soft drops of rain began to fall from a cloudless sky, and the branches of the big tree glittered and swayed in the gentle breeze, blowing the ash far from the houses of the faithful.

Tsunami-sama had preserved them.

In the midst of the destruction, one man stood forward, bearing in his hand a broken branch of the Lady's tree. In a voice full of passion and relief, he cried blessings for the goddess and begged her to preserve their world for always, just as she had done that day. As he did so, light danced from the tree's branches, as if answering his cry and the people wept, dropping to their knees as they gave thanks to the goddess's mercy.

The volcano was silent. The demon slept once more. Amid the ash and the wasted land, the people gathered together, united in one instant by the threat of tragedy. Old fights were cast off, old feuds made up as enemies became brothers in the aftermath of disaster.

As the first man paused at the base of the tree, he saw a lump of pumice resting gently against Tsunami's trunk and in anger at the demon's temerity he took it up, tossing it hard against a nearby rock. It shattered, revealing three shards of crystal that clattered to the ground. The people whispered and stared. Was this a further curse from the demon? A trick, caught up in the beauty of a gem?

The light glinted once more from Tsunami's branches, reflecting in the three stones which began to glow with a soft red light of their own. The man grasped them up, holding them high above his head as he proclaimed them a miracle from the goddess, sent to protect all of Jurai from the demon's rages.

The people gave thanks that their world would be saved, and Tsunami-sama returned to her sleep once more.

Sasami opened her eyes, taking a deep breath of air into her lungs as she tried to work out where she was. The soft whirr of a ship's engine told her that she was somewhere in space, and the hard wood behind her made her remember her flight to save Ayeka and their visit to the Earth. She was alone in the drive room, she realised, and the soft rocking of the ship's hull must have made her fall asleep. She scrambled to her feet, using the tree for support as she did so.

"Azaka?" She called. "Kamadake? Tenchi, are you there?"

"Yes, my lady?" Azaka emerged at that moment. "What is wrong?"

"Nothing. I just wondered where everyone had gone to." Sasami rubbed her stiff neck. "I think I fell asleep. I guess I didn't have much rest last night, huh?"

"Kamadake has managed to make contact with your father." Azaka said with a smile. "He knows you are safe and in our care, which brings him great comfort."

"And Ayeka?" Sasami asked. "Azaka, what about Ayeka?"

Azaka's smile faded.

"It seems you were right. The dark ship did take her." He replied. "The emperor received a ransom message from a dangerous and wanted Space Pirate that they thought was dead. He has her captive and is demanding three jewels as her ransom."

"The jewels from the volcano?" Sasami whispered. Azaka sent her a funny look, and Sasami realised she'd spoken out loud. She shook her head, forcing a laugh.

"Nothing. Just a silly dream I had." She said with a shrug. "I guess I must have heard some of your conversation in my sleep or something. Does Tenchi know all of this?"

"Yes, Sasami-dono. And there is more." Kamadake joined them at that moment, bowing his head slightly as he greeted the princess, Tenchi in tow. "One of the Galaxy Police vessels is also being sought in connection with this business. A ship named Yagami, my princess. Does that name ring a bell to you?"

"That's Kiyone's ship!" Sasami stared. "Kiyone wouldn't be mixed up in all of this!"

"Well, it seems she's taken it upon herself to become mixed up in it." Tenchi said grimly. "According to the report Jurai received, she and Mihoshi left Headquarters not long ago...after breaking out a securely confined convict from the highest security level of the prison."

Sasami's eyes became big.

"Breaking out a...?"

"The prisoner was Ryoko, Sasami-dono." Azaka said quietly. "It doesn't seem much of a leap of faith to assume Kiyone-san has more on her mind than just breaking the bounds of her contract."

"Ryoko...?" Sasami faltered. "In prison? Since when?"

"Since they came to the Earth and forced her to surrender herself to them three years ago." Tenchi sighed. "They would have destroyed the Earth hunting her down, Sasami. She had no choice. And now she and Kiyone and Mihoshi might all be in a lot of trouble...not to mention the fact Ayeka is still missing and this black ship you saw apparently took out an entire division of Galaxy Police ships, so he's nothing to be messed with."

Sasami was silent for a moment. Then she glanced up.

"I vote we find Yagami." She said at length. "Rendezvous with them and see what they know about Ayeka. Kiyone is smart, like Azaka said. She won't have done this unless she thinks that somehow it will help Ayeka. Which means Ryoko must know something about the man who's got my sister. Right?"

"It's a possibility." Tenchi nodded. "And I'm inclined to agree with you. But won't two spaceships chasing him through space be kind of obvious? If he's already destroyed a whole bunch of space patrol vessels, he's not going to mind taking a pot shot at anyone else who tracks him down, right? We don't want to be sitting ducks."

"Tsunami has already had one encounter with the ship and survived." Sasami said softly. "I think she could take another one."

"Tsunami is still not running on full power or strength, Sasami-dono." Kamadake shook his head. "Another battle with this ship may prove disasterous for all of us. Plus, the black ship has already picked her up on his radar. If he saw her again, he'd know that this was your ship and he might attack you specifically. It's a risk we cannot allow you to take, my lady. Your father would not sanction it."

"Well, I'm not going home like some naughty schoolgirl." Sasami put her hands on her hips. "So there, Kamadake! I said I'd help Ayeka and I'm going to do it!"

"Maybe if we find Yagami, Sasami and I could find out what Kiyone is up to." Tenchi said hurriedly, seeing a disagreement brewing. "If we can help, well, we can travel with them aboard that ship. Azaka and Kamadake could take this ship back to Jurai and tell the Emperor and your father what they know so far. Maybe help Jurai mass it's own search party. After all, you've seen this ship and survived. I got the feeling noone else who'd seen it had."

Sasami bit her lip. Then she frowned.

"All right." She said at length. "If we find Yagami, that's what we'll do. Because I want to help too, Tenchi. This is my fight too!"

"What is this place?"

As Yagami descended between the clutter of old spaceship parts and meteor shards, Ryoko peered out of the window, a frown on her face. Where are we, Kiyone? Why did you bring us to this place?"

"This is where they keep Ryo Ohki prisoner." Kiyone said with a sigh, setting the ship's engine to auto and getting to her feet. "It's a ship's graveyard really, Ryoko. A perfect hiding place for the Galaxy Police to imprison the ships of infamous space criminals. Ryo Ohki has been in deep sleep for the past three Earth years, to prevent her from transforming or from making any kind of contact with you or anyone else. Her kind are some of the hardest to hold captive - so they bring them here. They think noone will look for them in among a bunch of spaceship corpses."

"Inhuman jerks." Ryoko's eyes glinted angrily and she clenched her fists. "How dare they do that to my Ryo Ohki! Where is she, Kiyone! We need to get her out!"

"Over there." Kiyone pointed to the shining hull of what, at first glance appeared to be the remains of a space-going vessel. But, as they drew closer, Ryoko realised that it was too shiny and too well looked after to really be another piece of wreckage. She muttered a few more unpleasant epithets under her breath, smacking her fist into the palm of her other hand as Yagami pulled alongside.

"I can't get in there." Kiyone added. "Not many people have clearance...only the special unit. But you might be able to, Ryoko. It's airtight - without the right equipment, Mihoshi and I would suffocate in a second. But you don't need oxygen in the same way we do, do you? I've seen you teleport into space before now...right?"

"Right." Ryoko nodded her head. She put a hand against the glass. "But I can't teleport into a place I have no knowledge of. I can get out there, sure. No problem. But beyond that..."

"Maybe you could phase through it, huh?" Mihoshi put in at that moment, making them both jump.

"I thought you were asleep." Kiyone put her hands on her hips. Mihoshi shrugged.

"Well, you were making such a noise, talking so loudly and all." She said simply. "And besides, I thought I might be able to help. We're going to rescue Ryo Ohki, aren't we?"

"That's the plan." Ryoko nodded. "Kiyone, is Mihoshi right? Could I phase through it? Or is there some kind of a forcefield protecting it? I really don't want to get fried."

"It's protected." Kiyone nodded. "But Mihoshi might be onto something, Ryoko. There is one point on the containment vessel where the forcefield doesn't reach."

"And that is?"

"In order to keep the vessel at a low temperature and maintain the state of suspended animation, large amounts of cold space gas are pumped into the vessel through a major pipe network at the base." Kiyone pointed, and Ryoko poked her head through the window, trying to see where her companion pointed. "If you can get into that pipe, well, then you might be able to phase through and into the main vessel. But it will be cold, Ryoko. I don't know if it would knock you out or whether you'd be able to take it."

"Since it's the only plan we've got, I guess we're going to find out." Ryoko said grimly, bringing herself back into the body of the ship. "Where is Ryo Ohki?"

"Her cell number is 5803, on the third level up." Kiyone responded. "I checked on Yagami's computer before we arrived."

"Right." Ryoko nodded. "Then wish me luck, girls. Here I go."

"Good luck!" Mihoshi waved her hands enthusiastically. "Say hi to Ryo Ohki for me! I can't wait to see her again!"

Ryoko cast Kiyone a grimace, then with a deep breath, she teleported herself out into the midst of the space rubble, taking a moment to acclimatise to the chill temperature before drifting towards the Galaxy Police vessel. She paused not far from it, dropping as low as she could beneath the containment unit until she saw clearly the piping system Kiyone had mentioned. Cautiously she put out a hand, phasing the tips of her fingers through the pipe. A bitter cold burned through them and she withdrew them quickly, an involuntary shiver coursing through her body.

"That's cold." She muttered. "Oh well, Ryoko girl. This is for Ryo Ohki. No time to chicken out now."

She gritted her teeth, plunging headfirst into the thick gas pipe. A barrage of frozen air immediately hit her from behind and she fought to keep her balance and her composure, forging forward as strongly as she could. Shivers wracked through her body but she kept on, struggling against the cold unconsciousness that threatened to invade her vision. If she passed out now, she would soon be recaptured by the Galaxy Police and that would be it for her freedom, she told herself. This was too important...she had to keep going.

At length she reached the end of the long pipeway, putting her hands up to the grille as she debated whether or not she had the strength to phase through it. It was firmly attached, however, and her frozen limbs refused to muster any strength, so she focused all her energy on seperating her atoms, pushing through the grille with more difficulty than she had ever had before.

Once inside the vessel, the fierce coldness seemed to dissipate slightly and, still shivering and rubbing fiercely on her arms, she made her way slowly through the belly of the unit, glancing around her all the time for some kind of clue as to where she was going. A faded sign pointed her up towards the containment units, and she hovered upwards, pushing through the thick steel floors until she found the third one. Then, gently setting down on the iron girders that held the floor panels in place, she began to scan the identical silver blocks for the right one.

A feeble pulse of psychic energy burrowed into her thoughts as she reached the end of the first bay and she paused, turning to re-examine the pens she had just walked past. Frowning, she tried to remember the number Kiyone had given her.

"If only my brain wasn't so cold." She muttered. "Where are you, Ryo Ohki? What did Kiyone say? 58..03? Was that it?"

A second feeble wave of energy assailed her at this point, and she put her hand on the door lock of the pen marked with this number, holding it tightly. Determination crossed her face as she pulled at it with all her strength, wrenching the door almost half off it's hinges as she did so. As a wild alarm began to sound from all around her, Ryoko muttered a curse, loosing her grip on the door and glancing into the cell. Ryo Ohki was tethered there, her golden eyes closed as if asleep, but at Ryoko's touch they flickered open, and she uttered a feeble mew. Despite herself, Ryoko smiled.

"Think I'd leave you behind, kiddo?" She asked softly. "Come on. Let's get us out of here before they send an army of patrol ships after us!"

Ryo Ohki let out another feeble mew, shivering violently, and Ryoko wrapped her companion tightly in her arms.

"I know. It's cold and it will get colder before we get out." She warned. "But it's all right, Ryo Ohki. I don't expect you to be in any state to fly just yet. I'm not alone. Yagami is waiting for us. It will be warm there, and you know what? They might even have some carrots."

Ryo Ohki's ears pricked slightly at this, a faint look of interest entering her eyes, and Ryoko nodded encouragingly, clutching the creature ever tighter as she sank down through the floors to the entrance of the cold air pipe. Getting out against the flow of the gas would be doubly difficult, she knew that, but the thought of the warm Yagami bay was enough to drive her through it and in a moment she was teleporting back through space, dropping down onto Yagami's floor with a shudder.

"That was cold!" She exclaimed, gently placing Ryo Ohki down on the blue tiles. "Kiyone, you weren't kidding!"

"And the alarms are going mad." Kiyone looked anxious. "Full speed away from here, Mihoshi. They won't take long to get here - they'll probably realise this is where Ryoko will come first."

"Damn right." Ryoko reached out a cold hand to stroke Ryo Ohki's frozen fur and the cabbit rubbed up against her with a faint mew. "Poor girl...and they think _I'm_ the monster!"

"Well, she'll soon warm up now you've got her away from there." Kiyone observed. "How long do you think it will be before she can track Haki's scent?"

At the sound of Haki's name, Ryo Ohki's ears flattened and she let out a hiss. Kiyone looked startled, and Ryoko's lip curled in distaste.

"Yes. She remembers Haki." She said quietly. "I know, Ryo Ohki. We thought he was dead, but he isn't and we've got to help Kiyone and Mihoshi track him down. I made them a promise...he has Ayeka prisoner and it's our get out clause. Will you help?"

Ryo Ohki cocked her head on one side for a moment, then she let out a yowl, leaping up onto Ryoko's shoulder and then across to Yagami's dashboard. She shivered, uttering another yowl as she pawed at the glass.

"Ryo Ohki, be careful!" Mihoshi scolded. "What are you doing? You're freezing! You need to rest!"

"She's looking for Karasu's smoke trail. Pirates don't usually have the luxury of taking a rest." Ryoko folded her arms across her chest. "Do you have any carrots aboard, Mihoshi? I think she's going to need sustenance if we're to rely on her nose."

"Do you think she can really detect this ship from inside Yagami?" Kiyone looked doubtful, as Mihoshi dug around in her bottomless bag of snacks, eventually producing a carrot for the tired, cold little cabbit. "I thought she'd need to be out there herself."

"Right now she's in no state to be out anywhere." Ryoko shook her head. "And besides, why should she need to be? Her nose works just as well in here. Don't doubt her, Kiyone. She has a very good memory."

"Then we plot a course for whatever direction Ryo Ohki tells you to go?" Mihoshi asked. Ryoko shrugged.

"Got a better idea?" She demanded. Mihoshi shrugged.

"Only that we should probably get out of here, because those ships over there don't look pleased to see us." She replied, pointing over Ryoko's shoulder. The pirate turned, letting out a curse.

"Galaxy Police! Kiyone, do something!"

"I'm trying." Kiyone ran her fingers over the dashboard, keying in a rapid sequence of buttons. "Keep vigilant, Ryo Ohki. We'll need you all the more once we've ducked through space and lost them, okay?"

Ryo Ohki mewed in response, settling herself down more comfortably on the dashboard and beginning to preen her fur. As Yagami began to speed off in an arc, encircling the unit and wheeling off at a sharp angle, Ryoko sank down to the floor, letting out a sigh.

Tell me something?" She asked plaintively. "Why is it always chaos whenever one of you two drives?"


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter Nine**

It was cold in Karasu's storage hold.

Ayeka shivered, pulling her thin cloak more tightly around her slim body as she huddled against the wall of her makeshift cell, anger and fear alternating in her heart as the ship lurched through deep space. Since the exchange of fire with the ship carrying Sasami, Ayeka had been aware of several other barrages of flame coming from Karasu's cannons, and she feared for the damage the dark ship's forebidding arsenal had already caused.

That her captor was a vile and greedy man, she had already determined. But his obsession with the Juraian gems stuck in her mind for some reason. She frowned, drawing her knees up to her chest as best she could for her bonds.

"Three gems." She muttered. "The Dark Heart of Jurai...but it's just a legend! A legend of Tsunami-sama...the goddess in the Tree of Life. Just a volcanic eruption turned into a fairy story...there are no magic jewels and no goddesses on Jurai. Trees power Jurai's power, not some all powerful woman figure. And even if there were such a thing, how would someone like Haki get to hear about them? Those stories do not leave Jurai...no, he's mad. Driven quite mad! And in his insanity, he's drawn all of us into his delusions!"

Somehow, however, her own words rang false inside her head and she sighed.

"Maybe the gems do exist." She acknowledged to herself. "It's true that I've heard more than one story in the Jurai annals when I was a girl. Jewels from a volcano...is that even possible? Oh, I don't understand this. Ayeka, get a grip. Stop mixing fact with legend and start focusing in on what really matters here - this man is after the Jurai power and he's definitely someone who should not have any part of it!"

She shivered again, closing her eyes as cold air whipped through her thick hair.

"I should never have left Jurai." She muttered. "Sasami was right. I should have stayed. What was I trying to do, anyway? Travel half way across the universe to see a man I can't have? A man who's in love with another woman anyway? I must have been out of my mind. And now I might have gotten my sister hurt as well...not to mention the whole of Jurai in uproar over my whereabouts. Stupid, Ayeka! What kind of Empress will you be if you can't even conduct yourself properly now?"

The evening was drawing in.

Ryoko cast a glance at the luminous dial on the ship's dashboard, frowning as she realised how late it was. Having evaded the Galaxy Police patrols by the skin of their teeth, Kiyone had retired to bed and Mihoshi, who's shift it was to watch the ship's progress, had fallen asleep in her driver's seat half an hour earlier, snoring gently as if she hadn't a care in the world. Ryo Ohki was curled up against the glass, seemingly sleeping as well, but Ryoko was aware of the buzzing activity of the cabbit's brain and she knew that Ryo Ohki was only drowsing, aware in a moment should she pick up the faintest hint of Karasu's vapour trail. She sighed, crossing her legs and hovering a foot or so above the dashboard, running her fingers through her hair.

So she was on the run again. Nothing new about that. Why, then, did this seem so different from the other times?

"Is it because of Haki?" She wondered. "Is it because this time he's involved in what we're doing? Or am I just getting soft for this kind of adventure? Surely not!"

Ryo Ohki seemed to sense her uncertainty, for she raised a head, letting out a soft mew as she cast her mistress a look. Ryoko read the expression in the amber eyes and she sighed, nodding her head.

"You know my line of thought too well for someone who's been parted from me for so long as you have." She said out loud. "Can you detect any trace of Haki's ship, Ryo Ohki?"

The cabbit shook her head, uttering a mournful mew. Ryoko grimaced.

"Believe me, I'm in no hurry to find him either." She admitted. "And you know how I feel about Ayeka. But in the circumstances, my hands were rather tied. It did get us out of there, didn't it? I mean, even if we are running again, we are at least free and flying through space. Right?"

Ryo Ohki did not answer, turning her gaze back to the stars. Ryoko sighed again.

"Are you mad at me for bringing you into this?" She whispered. Ryo Ohki turned back, flicking her ears and leaping from the dashboard onto Ryoko's shoulder. She nuzzled against her mistress's ear, and Ryoko felt comforted by this tiny vote of confidence.

"Well, I'm glad you think so." She muttered. "I wish I did. You know exactly what I'm contemplating, Ryo Ohki...do you think it's a good idea? Or am I playing with things I don't understand myself? Is it too big a gamble? Or are the stakes already high enough that another one won't matter too much?"

Ryo Ohki pawed at Ryoko's ear, licking at her red gem earring, and Ryoko nodded.

"I understand, and I think I agree." She said quietly. "All right. Mihoshi is asleep, but she might wake up and I'd rather nobody else knew about this unless they really had to...it might make things awkward if they knew what was going on. Into the other room, Ryo Ohki. Kiyone is in her quarters and if we shut the door, noone will hear us out there."

Ryo Ohki leapt down off her shoulder, bounding through the hatch into the main bridge of the ship and Ryoko followed at a slower pace, sliding the door shut behind her and sitting herself down on the floor. She held out a hand to the cabbit, then paused, uncertainty in her eyes.

"It was easier when you were spaceship size." She said softly. "I don't want to hurt you, Ryo Ohki. You're pretty much the only friend I have left and I don't want you mad at me too!"

Ryo Ohki's expression became stubborn and she stalked determinedly across the deck, flicking her ears and standing erect in front of her mistress. Ryoko sighed.

"All right, if you say so." she conceded finally. "Hold still, then. This might tickle just a little bit."

She faltered, then gently slid her fingers through Ryo Ohki's throat, into the depths of the small creature's body. Ryo Ohki held herself perfectly still as, slowly and gingerly Ryoko extracted a small, slim black capsule from deep beneath Ryo Ohki's skin, setting it down on the deck. Ryo Ohki let out a hoarse mew, then began to lick herself thoroughly. Ryoko nodded.

"I know. It's creepy for me too." She agreed, turning the capsule over in her hands. "Do you think that Haki has any idea we have these, Ryo Ohki? That two of his precious gemstones aren't even on Jurai at all? Probably not, else he'd have come looking for us instead of Ayeka. Oh well. I guess what's done is done, isn't it?"

She flipped back the catch on the capsule, opening it and glancing at the contents. Two shimmering round red jewels glittered back at her, mesmerising her with their soft red light.

"All this fuss over some lousy gems." She muttered. "Haki couldn't even touch them, Ryo Ohki. Do you think they're as powerful as the stories say?"

Ryo Ohki whimpered, flattening her ears and Ryoko set the capsule down on the floor.

"Part of me should own up to having them, I guess." She acknowledged. "But I'd really rather not have another charge added to the already lengthening list if you know what I mean."

Ryo Ohki let out another whimper, and Ryoko's gaze was drawn to the object the cabbit was staring at, muttering a curse of her own as she watched the two glinting gems lift themselves out of their tiny plastic home, glowing and glittering as they hovered bare inches from her face. Despite herself, Ryoko reached out a curious finger, half expecting to be repulsed back across the bridge as she did so. But as she held out her hand, the nearest gem made a beeline for her, clamping itself to her wrist and glowing with a new blood-red energy. Ryoko stifled the cry of surprise and sudden pain that almost escaped her lips, closing her eyes as the second gemstone followed it's sister's example, fastening itself securely to the pirate's other wrist.

Both gems glowed vibrantly for a moment, then went dark, and Ryoko felt the world swaying around her. She put out a hand to steady herself, blinking as she slowly brought the world back into focus.

Dazedly she glanced down at her wrists.

"What the...?" She muttered. "What was that, Ryo Ohki? Did you know they were going to do that? What do they want with me of all people? These are Juraian gems...aren't they? Or are they something else entirely?"

She tried to slide a nail beneath one of the gems, but it would not budge,and a second wave of dizziness swept through her. She gasped, clinging on to the wall of the bridge as the world righted itself.

"Okay. This is too weird." She muttered. "That's it. If I couldn't tell anyone before, I certainly can't now!"

She glanced down at them one last time, and a glimmer of an idea came into her brain.

"Haki can't touch these." She whispered. "But for some reason, I can. Maybe this isn't such a bad thing after all. Haki's story says the gems are dangerous...but maybe it's not so bad as all that. Maybe they can even help me. If they are strong, well, we need all the help we can get. And if Haki can't touch them, well, it means I have something that he might prove weak against. Perhaps you were right, Ryo Ohki. Perhaps it was time we brought the gemstones out of hiding, after all!"

"You know, Sasami-chan, one thing is definitely for sure."

Tenchi leant up against the trunk of Tsunami's tree, gazing out at the stars as they sped through deep space. "There sure is a lot of the Universe, don't you think?"

"Really?" Sasami's eyes became thoughtful. "I don't think there's enough of it, Tenchi. I'd love to turn a corner round a planet one day and find an area of space that Jurai cartographers haven't mapped out yet. It's so boring, knowing where we are all the time. All these quadrants and sectors and stuff. I want to find something new."

"I see." Tenchi looked amused. "Well, there's more than enough of it for me...more than I'll ever know how to navigate my way around, too. You get to thinking that your world is the planet you live on and the moon, the sun and the stars you can see from it. Now I know that the Earth is just a tiny ball and there are thousands of others just like it...it blows the mind sometimes, just to think of it."

"I suppose it must be like that for you." Sasami nodded her head. "In a way that makes you lucky, Tenchi. It's always an adventure when you travel in space."

"Well, I hated it to begin with." Tenchi admitted, glancing down at the sword that hung loosely from his belt. "It seems that a lot of fighting goes on between spaceships up here and well, it's a long way from home, too. But I'm getting more and more used to it, I think. I actually felt a little trapped, down on the Earth with no spaceship to ride in. I think you girls all corrupted me a whole lot!"

"No, it's just your Jurai blood coming out." Sasami teased. "Next thing we know, Tsunami will be giving you a branch of her tree and you'll have a tree-ship all of your own!"

"My own ship? I don't think so." Tenchi shook his head. "I'm not that Juraian...I haven't a clue how to fly one of these things."

"Oh Tenchi, it's easy." Sasami's eyes twinkled. "Really, it is. And it's not like it's a machine. They're alive too, you know. You can talk to them and explain to them what you want them to do."

"Maybe you can. I'm not really looking to get my learner's permit just yet." Tenchi laughed. "I'll play the passenger a little longer, if you don't mind."

"All right, if you like." Sasami relented, then, "Hey! What's that?"

"What?" Tenchi turned, almost overbalancing. "What do you see, Sasami?"

"I see Yagami! At least, I think it's Yagami. It's a red ship...Tenchi, what do you think? Has Tsunami found Kiyone?"

"It looks like Yagami to me." Tenchi began, then, "And it looks like they're getting ready to fire on us, Sasami! If it is Yagami, they can't know who we are! This is a Jurai ship - they must think we're part of the group hunting them down!"

As soon as the words were out of his mouth, Yagami's cannon released a warning blast of fire, missing the bow of the ship by a narrow margin. Sasami frowned.

"Well, that's not very friendly." She said with a pout. "Tsunami, can you establish a connection with Yagami for me please? I'm going to tell them that it's rude to fire on your friends, especially when we're coming to help!"

"At least, we hope we are." Tenchi muttered. "If this is as simple as you think it is."

"The Jurai ship is trying to make contact with us." In the Yagami drive room, Kiyone frowned at the flashing button on her control panel, pausing to cast Ryoko a glance. "You really shouldn't have hit the cannon, you know. If they're just passing through space, you could create a situation. And if they're not, well, they're going to get suspicious that a Galaxy Police ship is suddenly taking aim."

"Shoot or be shot." Ryoko shrugged, folding her arms across her chest. "Besides, it was only a warning blast. And I didn't mean to actually do it...I tripped over Ryo Ohki and I hit it a li-i-ttle bit harder than I intended to. I only meant to flare it up. Not actually shoot."

She eyed the flashing contact button suspiciously.

"Are you going to speak to them?"

"I have to, or they'll be doubly suspicious." Kiyone nodded. "You might want to get out of the control room, Ryoko. If it isn't someone looking for us, I don't want to raise any suspicions and your face has been on more space billboards than anyone I know."

"Fine. I'll be in the back." Ryoko rolled her eyes, flickering out of the drive room and leaving Kiyone alone. The detective let out her breath in a rush, then hit the button, waiting as Yagami's communication screen dropped down in front of her.

"This is Yagami." She said slowly. "Galaxy Police Fleet number 89-7345. This is a restricted space zone...please state your identity."

"Kiyone, what are you talking about?" Sasami's face flashed up on the screen. "And why are you firing at us now? Kamadake said you were in trouble with the Galaxy Police again...is Ryoko really with you?"

"_Sasami_?" Kiyone's eyes almost fell out of her head. "That's _your_ ship we almost managed to blow up?"

"I'm getting good at evading cannon fire." Sasami giggled. "Yep. Is it true, Kiyone? Are you trying to find Ayeka too? They said you busted Ryoko out of prison...is she helping also?"

"You seem to be pretty up to date on things...that can't be good." Kiyone bit her lip. "If it's already beyond the Galaxy Police that Ryoko has escaped and that we've turned traitor again...well, there goes our hopes of passing as a legitimate patrol vessel."

"Is this really a restricted area?"

"Honestly, I haven't had time to check." Kiyone ran her fingers through her thick dark hair. "And I wish I could tell you something about your sister. But right now, we don't know much at all either."

"Tenchi's with me. I thought he could help too...he has Yosho-dono's sword." Sasami said with a grin. "But Azaka and Kamadake want to take my ship back to Jurai. She got hit by that nasty kidnapper's cannons and she took some damage...chasing her through deep space isn't giving her much chance to repair herself and they're worried it will put me in danger. Can Tenchi and I come aboard Yagami with you, Kiyone? I want to help and so does he."

"Tenchi, certainly." Kiyone looked doubtful. "I'm not sure if it would be wise for you to come too, Sasami-chan. Your father must already be out of his mind with worry...when we left Headquarters, noone knew where you were either."

"I'm not a little girl." Sasami pulled a face. "And Father knows I'm safe now. Kamadake spoke to him. So it's all right. Ayeka's my sister, Kiyone. I have more right than anyone to help find her, you know."

Kiyone sighed.

"All right." She said at length. "I'll bring Yagami alongside and establish the connecting walkway. Be careful how you come across...we've had one encounter with angry patrol ships already in the last few hours and I'd rather not have to evade another one."

"Yay!" Sasami's eyes twinkled. "Okay! I'll tell Azaka and Kamadake and then Tenchi and I will be coming to join you, Kiyone!"

"Okay. Just be careful!" Kiyone repeated herself. "Yagami, over and out."

She flicked the screen off, and for a moment she paused, biting on her lip as she considered the situation. Then, slowly, she pulled Yagami into gear, drawing her as close as she dared to the Juraian ship and launching the long, flexible walkway. It latched on to the side of Tsunami with an echoing clang, and Kiyone released the doors, flipping on the auto-pilot and getting to her feet. She sauntered into the body of the ship, pausing as she met the enquiring gazes of her partner and the runaway space pirate. She eyed Ryoko for a moment, then shrugged her shoulders.

"Panic over." She said simply. "The ship is friend, not foe."

"You released the walkway?" Mihoshi ran to the window of the ship. "I thought I heard something go clang! Didn't I say I heard something, Ryoko?"

"Only about five times...I did get the message already." Ryoko said frankly. "Friend? In what sense, friend?"

"That's Sasami's ship." Kiyone responded. "She's coming to join us on board Yagami...her guardians think that she'll be too exposed if she remains on her own vessel, although I really don't think she'll be much safer here. She's hard to argue with though, Sasami."

"True. I guess she's worried about Ayeka." Ryoko rubbed her chin thoughtfully. "So she's coming to join the pack, is she? She's got guts at least, that kid."

"She's not alone, Ryoko." Kiyone said quietly, moving across to the other side of the bridge and pressing the door to open the hatch, admitting the young princess and her companion. "She has someone with her."

"_Tenchi_?"

Colour drained from Ryoko's face as she took in the man at Sasami's side, and she took a step or two backwards, almost treading on Ryo Ohki in her surprise and sending the cabbit darting for cover beneath a solid steel bench. Tenchi offered her a smile.

"Someone told me that there was an escaped prisoner on board this ship." He said playfully. "Hi, Ryoko. It's been a while since I saw you, hasn't it?"

"Yes, it has." Ryoko seemed at a loss for a moment. Then, "You're the last person I expected to see in Deep Space."

"He's come to help Ayeka." Sasami explained, running to hug first the space pirate, then Kiyone and Mihoshi in turn. "And so have I. Hey, where's Ryo Ohki? I have to say hi to her too!"

At the sound of her name, Ryo Ohki let out a mew, poking her head out cautiously from the bench, and Sasami laughed, hurrying to scoop the small creature up.

"Hey there, Ryo Ohki!" She exclaimed. "Did you miss me?"

Ryo Ohki miaowed her affirmation, licking the princess's ear.

Kiyone cast a glance between Ryoko and Tenchi, then raised an eyebrow.

"Mihoshi, we have a ship to pilot." She said decidedly. "Come on. I'll unhook the passageway and we can be on our way. And Ryo Ohki, you'd better come too. We need your nose again, if it's not too tired."

"Can't we run on autopilot for a while, Kiyone?" Mihoshi asked. "I'm a little tired myself."

"Then go take a nap, by all means." Kiyone nodded. "I'll be in the drive room if you need me. Sasami, are you coming to keep Ryo Ohki company?"

"Sure, that'd be fun." Sasami nodded her head. "I've missed her a whole lot, you know."

"I'm sure you have." Kiyone ushered the younger girl into the drive room, pausing to glance back over her shoulder as she moved to shut the door. The awkward silence still hung in the air, and she rolled her eyes, sliding the door closed with a click.

"One place I wouldn't like to be right now. It's colder than the Deep Freeze containment unit in there at the moment and I'm not kidding." She muttered. "Okay, Sasami. Let me fill you in on what I know and what we're trying to do. Then you can tell me what you've discovered and we can resume our search for this black ship Karasu."

"Are you all right, Ryoko?" Tenchi's voice broke the uncomfortable quiet, and Ryoko started, then shrugged her shoulders.

"You know me, Tenchi." She said simply. "I'm always all right. Escaping from the Galaxy Police is something of a trademark of mine. I'm just great."

Tenchi narrowed his gaze.

"I don't understand." He said slowly. "You're mad at me? Why? What did I do to make you mad at me, Ryoko?"

"I'm not mad at you." Ryoko turned away from him, glancing out at the stars. Her heart pounded in her chest and she cursed her lack of composure, wishing that she felt more able to respond in her usual carefree manner. But she didn't feel carefree tonight. In fact, she hadn't felt carefree in a long time. She rubbed her arm absently against her other one, pausing as she felt the hard gem beneath her sleeve. A frown touched her lips, and she dropped her hands to her side. And there was another thing between them. Another secret. Another barrier.

"Well, you don't seem to be speaking to me." Tenchi sounded confused. "So if you're not mad at me, what's the matter with you?"

"I guess I'm tired. It's been a long few days." Ryoko sighed. "I think I'm going to follow Mihoshi's example and take a nap."

"A nap?" Tenchi stared. Ryoko nodded her head.

"Yeah - you know. Sleep. You do still do that on Earth, right?" She asked. This time there was no keeping the edge from her tone and Tenchi's brows knitted together. He crossed the room, grabbing her by the arms and pulling her round to face him. She wrenched her arms away, holding them behind her back.

"What are you doing?"

"Trying to get sense out of you...something which is never easy to do!"

"I told you. I'm just tired. Nothing else." Ryoko crossed and uncrossed her fingers. "And what about you? You came to help Ayeka too, huh? It's a long way to come to rescue someone you haven't seen in three years or more...isn't it?"

"Sasami asked me to come and I couldn't exactly say no, not when I realised she was in danger." Tenchi shrugged his shoulders. "And I guess I should have known that somewhere you'd be involved. I'm glad you're not a prisoner any more, Ryoko. I don't like you being locked up."

"It wouldn't have lasted." Ryoko dismissed it with a flick of her fingers, injecting as much nonchalance into her tone as she could muster. "Three of your years is a drop in the ocean for me, Tenchi - I was just biding my time. If Kiyone hadn't dragged me out to help her track down Haki then I would have found my own way out. You can count on that."

"Haki? Who's that?"

"You come to rescue Ayeka and you don't even know the name of the man holding her?" Ryoko raised an eyebrow. "That's smooth."

"The fact she's been kidnapped should be enough to be going along with." Tenchi pursed his lips. "Do you know this guy? Is that why Kiyone brought you into this?"

"We've met." Ryoko nodded. "But I don't really want to discuss that right now, you know. We'll deal with him when we meet him...there's plenty of time enough for that when Ryo Ohki gets a fix on Karasu's vapour trail. And I'll know when they're around too, Tenchi. I guess I have a sixth sense where he's concerned...we'll find Ayeka okay."

"I'm glad you're so sure."

"Of course I'm sure." Ryoko shrugged. "Haki's not so smart as he thinks he is and we'll track him down. That's all you need to know."

"A sixth sense, huh?" Mihoshi's voice from the doorway made both turn and Ryoko glared at her, putting her hands on her hips.

"What are you doing here? Didn't you go to bed already?"

"Yes, but I forgot my tea." Mihoshi grinned, scooping up her mug of green tea. "That's all. I didn't know you had such a connection with this pirate, Ryoko. Were you in love with him? Was that it? Was that how you know him so well?"

Rage flared through Ryoko at this innocent suggestion and she flew across the room, knocking Mihoshi's mug from her hands and sending it careening across the floor. She grabbed the astonished Police Officer by the throat of her uniform, lifting her up into the air.

"What in hell are you talking about, Mihoshi?" She demanded. "Do you always have to be so dumb about everything?"

"Ryoko!" Tenchi protested. Ryoko sent him a look, then tightened her grip on Mihoshi, giving her a short, sharp shake.

"Hey, put me down!" Mihoshi protested. "I'm sorry...it was just an idea. I mean, I have heard that people have a certain psychic sense when they're in love and you know, they can tell when the other person is nearby or in trouble or something like that...so I just wondered if you and Haki were..."

"One more word and I'll throw you the length of this room." Ryoko said darkly. "Do you understand?"

"_Ryoko_!" Tenchi exclaimed. "Stop this! Mihoshi only asked a question! She didn't know you'd get upset!"

Ryoko pursed her lips. Then she hovered over the seat, dropping Mihoshi down on top of the cushions they had been sitting on earlier that evening. She grimaced at the dazed Police Officer.

"Haki and I were never any kind of item." She said softly, a warning in her golden eyes. "Never. And if you knew him, you'd understand why I didn't like that particular question, Detective Mihoshi."

She turned to Tenchi.

"I'm going to bed." She said briefly. "Guess we'll talk more tomorrow."

And before the bemused young man could respond, she teleported herself out of the bay and into the sleeping quarters, settling down on the uppermost bunk and rolling onto her back. Now she was alone, she couldn't keep up the cold facade and the tears spilled down her cheeks.

"Damn you, Tenchi! Why here and now, when I'm already in enough trouble!" She muttered, clenching her fists and thumping the hard bed below her in her anguish. "How can you chase all the way across the galaxy like that on a whim to rescue Ayeka...without knowing any of the facts? And yet me...I left Earth to protect you and it's fine for you to forget me and leave me in the Galaxy Police's holding pen for all eternity? What's that about? And dammit, why aren't I over this after three years apart? I need to get a grip. If he's here for Ayeka, well, so what. Figures anyway. I knew it was that way and I've kidded myself for long enough. Time to get a grip, and get tough on yourself, Ryoko. Deal with Haki and then disappear back into space legend for a while. Find some old haunts. Get back on track. Tenchi only makes things confused and I know it only too well. Hell, I didn't cry before he started interfering in my life!"

She closed her eyes, the tears still running silently down her cheeks, soaking into the smooth fabric of the pillow. Try as she might, however, she could not get his face out of her head. It burned itself into her mind - he was still the same Tenchi she had met when Ryo Ohki had first tumbled to Earth. He was a little older, his features more defined and more handsome than she remembered, but he was still Tenchi. The same soft brown eyes, the same gentle smile, the same...she pushed the thoughts away with some difficulty, struggling to find her composure.

"I still love you." She whispered. "And you love Ayeka. I must be the biggest fool in the Galaxy, Tenchi, but I'm still going to help you save her. I have to. I just...I wish that just for once things would go my way for a change, that's all! Can't there be at least _one_ story where the Prince doesn't end up with the Princess?"


End file.
